On June 8 (Moscow time), according to TASS, the European Union (EU) has allowed naval vessels participating in the IRINI operation in the Mediterranean to inspect and arrest foreign oil tankers suspected of transporting Russian oil.
The information was announced by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms. Kaja Kallas, when attending the informal meeting of EU Defense Ministers.
According to Ms. Kallas, Operation IRINI has had its operating rules adjusted, allowing participating forces to conduct direct inspections of ships at sea. The EU is also promoting the unification of handling methods between member states for ships suspected of being involved in Russian oil transportation activities.
Ms. Kallas said that the goal of this measure is to limit the revenue that Russia can use for military operations in Ukraine.
The new move shows that the EU continues to increase pressure on Russia's energy sector. Since the conflict in Ukraine broke out, the EU has continuously imposed sanctions packages to limit revenue from Moscow's oil and gas, while strengthening surveillance of maritime transport activities believed to support Russia's energy exports.
According to the EU, many ships suspected of belonging to the "dark fleet" are participating in transporting Russian oil to the international market. This term is used by the West to refer to a network of oil tankers with complex ownership structures, frequently changing registration nationalities or applying measures to conceal their journeys to evade international sanctions.
The expansion of powers for the navy takes place in the context that the EU is seeking to tighten the implementation of current sanctions against Russia, especially in the field of energy exports by sea.
Operation IRINI has been deployed by the EU in the Mediterranean since 2020 with the task of monitoring maritime activities and implementing the United Nations arms embargo on Libya. However, according to TASS, this operation has not achieved the expected effectiveness in preventing illegal arms transportation to this North African country.
