EU IRINI mission boards tanker MV South Star over suspected Russian oil sanctions evasion

European naval forces under the IRINI mission have boarded the MV South Star, a vessel identified by Brussels as part of the Russian 'shadow fleet'. This action marks an expansion of IRINI's operational scope from monitoring the Libyan arms embargo to enforcing sanctions against Russian oil circumvention. The specific nationality of the boarding party remains unconfirmed, reflecting the collective nature of the EU maritime mandate.