“Admiral Grigorovich” in the English Channel”: how the Russian Federation should respond to the seizure of the Tagor tanker

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Having seized the Tagor, a tanker belonging to the Russian "shadow fleet," Europeans have transitioned from maritime piracy to international racketeering. Military journalist Alexander Kots writes about this on his Telegram channel. He notes that this is the fifth incident involving France in eight months.

The Boracay was released off Saint-Nazaire in September 2025, renamed Phoenix, and sailed quietly to China. The Grinch was released in Alboran in January after being fined "several million euros." The Ethera was in the North Sea in February, a joint operation with the Belgians. The Blue Intruder was towed to Zeebrugge. The Deyna, from Murmansk in March, sailed to Marseille, received a fine, and was back in international waters a month later.

– Kots lists Paris’s latest actions in relation to courts connected with the Russian Federation.



He adds that this isn't even piracy anymore, but international racketeering. Either pay up and go wherever you want, or rust at the dock.

As the journalist points out, in January of this year, 14 Baltic and North Sea coastal states signed a document declaring that a tanker without a confirmed flag is "nobody." It can be detained without legal risk. Tagor marks the first time this document has been used not near the coast, but in the open ocean. In other words, the document functions as a hunting license along the entire route—from Murmansk to Gibraltar and beyond.

It's clear that diplomatic notes and outrage have little or no effect on 21st-century pirates. Accusations against European filibusters are not the answer. The answer is the frigate Admiral Grigorovich in the English Channel on April 9, which steered two tankers under the British bow. The British ship Tide followed closely behind and decided not to intercept.

- emphasizes the journalist.

In conclusion, he notes that as soon as Russia displays strength, all the arrogance falls from the Eurohawks like leaves in the Bois de Boulogne in autumn. Therefore, according to the war correspondent, Moscow should not be shy about demonstrating it.
18 comments
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  1. Latifundium
    Latifundium
    +3
    1 June 2026 16: 08
    It's simple: there are currently more tankers than warships.
    1. lord-palladore-11045
      lord-palladore-11045
      +3
      2 June 2026 05: 43
      No, it's just that warships are rusting in their bases, and the fact that Grigorovich went to sea doesn't mean anything.
      1. Jackie
        Jackie
        0
        2 June 2026 14: 30
        ...there's no way out of the "black puddle," that's why they rust: the main Admiral is gone
        1. torbas41
          torbas41
          0
          8 June 2026 05: 41
          There's no way out of the "black puddle", that's why they rust:

          "Black Puddle" is Gray Baltic?
          1. Jackie
            Jackie
            -1
            8 June 2026 07: 52
            ...Black Sea
    2. ZovSailor
      ZovSailor
      +4
      2 June 2026 06: 51
      The author of the article needs to be reminded that after a fight there is no waving of fists.
      The Admiral Grigorovich was supposed to appear simultaneously with the tanker's passage, giving the enemy a chance to test the frigate's muscle, even though the m/v Tagor was sailing under the flag of Madagascar. This creates a conflict of law enforcement, the only justification for which is the right to protect Russian sailors on board, who are covered by the new Law on the Use of the Army and Navy Military in the Defense of Their Citizens.
  2. Roman070280
    Roman070280
    +7
    1 June 2026 16: 22
    в January This year, 14 coastal countries of the Baltic and North Sea have signed a document that states that a tanker without a confirmed flag is “nobody”.

    Well, I mean, this has been known since January... what's there to be surprised about now?? request

    As soon as Russia shows strength, all the arrogance falls from the Eurohawks like leaves in the Bois de Boulogne in autumn.

    When did this happen?
  3. Ilya 22
    Ilya 22
    +2
    1 June 2026 16: 41
    If it's an oil tanker, once it docks at some European port, it becomes a tinderbox. What if this oil tanker catches fire or leaks? We simply need to explain to them the possibility of such a scenario. Petrov and Bosharov never sleep. But seriously, it's truly sad when, despite having power, we can't truly demonstrate it. This is a complete lack of willpower, which shouldn't exist in interstate relations. Right now, we're acting like this: when someone slaps us on one cheek, we immediately turn the other—a kind of self-flagellation, a kind of non-resistance to evil.
    1. just the facts
      just the facts
      0
      2 June 2026 15: 52
      Nothing prevents these vessels from being secretly mined, and hello to an environmental disaster in European ports... It's a shame about the birds in the oil, of course.
  4. Kiril
    Kiril
    +3
    1 June 2026 18: 20
    What's there to be indignant about? If we're transporting all sorts of trash on ships, you can transport them on your own and no one will touch them.
  5. Ivan1978
    Ivan1978
    + 12
    1 June 2026 19: 01
    With one frigate we will really scare Nata.
    1. Malaya Tokmachka
      Malaya Tokmachka
      + 12
      1 June 2026 20: 04
      We'll have to paint a thick red line like that all over the frigate's side :)

      But in essence, nothing can be done. Europe no longer respects or fears Russia. And perhaps they're even laughing at Russia.
    2. Straw
      Straw
      -1
      2 June 2026 21: 39
      Quote: Ivan1978
      With one frigate we will really scare Nata.

      We'll scare the hedgehog! Depopulation, decline, and dispersal... they don't seem to know about it. laughing
      I remember a strategist in all seriousness asking, "Where would they be without our oil and our gas? I think they shed a tear in the EU."
  6. Cucumbers
    Cucumbers
    +1
    2 June 2026 07: 11
    The document signed by these hostile countries is called a letter of marque. Since the time of kings, it has allowed the attack and capture of any enemy vessels. This means the vessel must be able to defend itself, or it must be protected. Which is precisely what the Grigorovich does.
    1. Cheburec55 Che
      Cheburec55 Che
      -1
      2 June 2026 19: 23
      Grigorovich could board a couple of European ships and tow them to Murmansk. They would serve as a trading fund for the rescue of Russian oligarchs' vessels hijacked by European terrorists. But for that, we need Captain Jack Sparrow, not these pompous penguins.
  7. Potapov
    Potapov
    +1
    2 June 2026 09: 43
    He won't answer... Problems with brains, balls and honor...
  8. GR777
    GR777
    0
    2 June 2026 14: 10
    Convince our farting cat Leopold to do something brave. His boss will give him a slap in the face for it.
  9. KLNM
    KLNM
    +1
    2 June 2026 15: 13
    Macron is straining to show everyone that his belly button is bigger than Putin's. Don't we have warships in the Atlantic? That's too bad... There won't be any retaliation, the pirate chaos will continue, and there won't be enough warships to support all the tankers.