The Navy confirmed that a report was filed with Brest’s public prosecutor’s office following suspicions surrounding the vessel’s activities. The sanctions targeting this crude oil tanker were enacted in late 2024 and early 2025, as authorities identified it as being involved in transporting Russian crude oil while engaging in risky shipping practices. In April 2025, Estonia released Kiwala after detaining it for sailing without proper flag documentation. This tanker is part of what’s known as a shadow fleet—vessels often over two decades old that operate without clear ownership or insurance details while participating in illicit trade routes involving Russian oil. Currently anchored off France’s Atlantic coast near Saint Nazaire, this ship was constructed back in 2007 and remains emblematic of ongoing tensions surrounding maritime trade linked to geopolitical conflicts.