Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov sharply criticized France's intervention on a Russia-linked tanker in the Atlantic Ocean. Peskov described this step as "international piracy" and rejected claims that the practice was in accordance with maritime law. In a statement to journalists in Moscow, Peskov said such initiatives are illegal and have a nature close to piracy. He also stated that Russian authorities have developed special measures to protect similar shipments. French President Emmanuel Macron had previously confirmed that his country's navy stopped a ship on the sanctions list. Macron argued that this step was taken within the framework of enforcing sanctions and protecting maritime law. The incident stood out as one of the rare French military interventions on a Russian commercial vessel in open waters during a period of ongoing tension between Moscow and Western capitals. The statements from the parties indicate that the tension between the enforcement of sanctions and the safety of maritime traffic has turned into a new headline.