France intercepts Russia-bound cargo ship ‘Baltic Leader’ in the English Channel and ‘escorts’ it to Boulogne

The ship has been suspected of belonging to a firm targeted by EU sanctions after the invasion of Ukraine

The French navy has intercepted a Russian cargo ship in the English Channel that was bound for St Petersburg, the BBC has reported.

French officials told the broadcaster the ship was intercepted according to new EU sanctions imposed on Russian entities after Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine.

The ship, named “Baltic Leader”, was stopped in Honfleur, in the Normandy region of northern France. The vessel transporting cars was scheduled to reach St Petersburg on 3 March, according to a cargo ship tracking website, after having set sail from Rouen, in Normandy.

Tracker showing the location of the Baltic Leader ship after its interception (Vessel Finder/screenshot)

An official told the BBC: “A 127-metre long Russia cargo ship called the ‘Baltic Leader’ transporting cars has been intercepted overnight by the French navy in the Channel and escorted to the Port of Boulogne-Sur-Mer in northern France.

“It has been taken to the French port after a request by the French government because it is suspected of belonging to a company targeted by EU sanctions against Moscow.

“French border forces are currently investigating the cargo ship. Crew aboard the ‘Baltic Leader’ has been cooperating with French authorities.”

Baltic Leader docks in the port of Boulogne-sur-Mer, northern France (AP)

Captain Veronique Magnin, regional communication officer for the maritime prefecture, said the ship was diverted to the port between 3am and 4am local time yesterday. She said it appeared to be the first such action in the English Channel after the French government had given maritime officials the power to intercept vessels suspected of contravening the sanctions.

Sanctions have been imposed on Kremlin officials including Vladimir Putin and Sergei Lavrov (AP)

The customs officials’ investigation into whether the ship is linked to a sanctioned company could take up to 48 hours. The Russian embassy in Paris has requested that the French authorities explain why the ship was seized.

Other sanctions have been imposed by the EU, the UK, Canada and the US on a number of Russian entities and individuals linked to the Kremlin, too. The sanctioned individuals include Russian president Mr Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.

Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has dismissed the new sanctions by saying that “neither Putin nor Lavrov have accounts in Britain or anywhere abroad”.

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said: “I am not in the secrets of Mr Lavrov and Mr Putin’s wealth and it is not my duty. There are people who will take care of that.”