26th of January, 2022. International News. Russia/Ukraine/France
Last updated: February 27, 2022 at 9:42 amFrance made a bold move earlier today, 26th of February, 2022, in seizing a Russian cargo ship headed to St. Petersburg, Russia – thus provoking direct conflict with what is disputably the world’s most feared military power.
According to a British Broadcasting Corporation Report, France intercepted and impounded the ship after it suspected that it was breaching sanctions imposed on Russia for invading Ukraine. French officials said it was an act of “firmness,” but Russia sees this as an act of hostility and Russian media reported that the Kremlin may use force against France in retaliation for this act.
The Russian cargo ship, named the Baltic Leader, was en route to St. Petersburg, Russia with a cargo of automobiles when it was intercepted by French military. France said it suspected the ship was owned by a bank which was sanctioned by the EU and U.S.A, but the bank denied ownership of the ship, explaining that they had sold it to another company before the sanctions were imposed.
French officials said they are trying to verify the ownership of the ship and that the process may take up to 48 hours, but Russian media reports suggest that Russia may react with force. According to Russian media, the French military fired at the ship before landing a helicopter on top of it and hijacking it to the port in Boulogne-Sur-Mer in northern France. Russian media stated that the captain of the ship initially refused to cooperate with the French military causing them to fire upon the ship and then hijacking it to the port in Boulogne-Sur-Mer in northern France.
The report also stated that some crew members may have been injured in the “attack” but no figures are available at this time.
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