MOSCOW, October 15. /TASS/. France’s detention of the DF Peak tanker off the coast of Reunion is an act of piracy that should be condemned by all countries, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told reporters.
"This is a blatant violation of international law and an absolutely unacceptable practice, which requires condemnation by the international community. Put simply, this is an act of piracy on the sea lanes," he pointed out.
The deputy foreign minister specified that "there were no Russian nationals on board, but that fact does not change our attitude toward such acts of piracy at sea." "This goes far beyond the bounds of international law; in particular, this is a blatant violation of the 1982 Convention. This is absolutely unacceptable," he stressed, adding that "no international conventions account for such actions."
"No matter how France frames this, I reiterate that this can only be classified as a flagrant violation of all the existing maritime regulations," the senior diplomat concluded.
Vessel detention
The French Navy detained the DF Peak oil tanker over 450 nautical miles south of Reunion Island on the morning of October 12, President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X. He claimed the move was part of efforts to combat Russia's so-called shadow fleet.
The Russian embassy pointed out that France violated international law by detaining commercial vessels on the high seas, seeking to justify piracy by citing a UN convention.