Zürcher Nachrichten - Two Russian security personnel were on board France-seized tanker: sources

The two men were employed by Moran Security Group, a Russian private security company, and were tasked with monitoring the crew and gathering intelligence, a source with knowledge of the matter said on condition of anonymity.

The source said dozens of vessels of Russia's "shadow fleet" are equipped with such crew protection teams, notably to escort them in the Baltic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean -- all supplied by Moran Security.

"When they pass near European coasts or military assets, they take photos of our vessels," the source added.

CNN reported in December that Russian personnel based on ships carrying oil had been involved in spying in European waters, citing Western and Ukrainian intelligence sources.

The Boracay is thought to be part of a fleet of tankers used to transport Russian oil in violation of sanctions imposed by Western countries over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

In September, French authorities boarded the vessel, which claimed to be flagged in Benin, briefly detaining its captain and first mate. The vessel was then allowed to resume its journey.

Vladimir Putin condemned the move as "piracy".

On Monday, the Chinese captain of the Boracay, Chen Zhangjie, 39, went on trial in absentia in the city of Brest in western France, with prosecutors demanding he serve a one-year sentence for failing to comply with orders to stop the ship.

"There were two Russians aboard the Boracay," the source said.

The men's role on board the Boracay was "to ensure the protection of the vessel and, above all, to make sure the captain strictly followed the orders given in line with Russian interests", the source said.

They also gathered "intelligence", it added.

The source identified the security crew as Aleksander T., 34, and Maksim D., 40, adding that the latter was a former police officer who had worked for Wagner mercenary group.

Moran Security Group, which experts say was founded by former officers of Russia's FSB security service, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

- 'Not sailors' -

In January, French forces and their allies boarded another suspected Russian "shadow fleet" tanker, the Grinch. The source said there were no Russian security personnel aboard that vessel.

The presence of two Russian nationals on board the Boracay was confirmed by the lawyer of the Chinese captain.

"There were two Russian citizens on board the ship," lawyer Henri de Richemont told AFP.

"They represented the cargo," he said, adding that they were "not sailors".

"My client has nothing to do with their presence," the lawyer said. "He is not the one who put Russians on board his vessel."

The captain and his first officer were taken into police custody before being allowed to return to sea with the two Russians, who disembarked during a stopover in Suez several days later, according to the lawyer.

It was not immediately clear where the two Russians were during the captain and first mate's time in custody.

The Boracay has been linked to mysterious drone flights over Denmark last year including military sites, part of a spate of drone sightings and airspace violations in European countries blamed on Russia. No formal link has been established, and Moscow denies responsibility.

- 'Very active' -

Questioned by AFP, the intelligence chief of a European country bordering Russia said they had noticed the presence of Moran Security personnel aboard vessels of Russia's "shadow fleet", "sometime last year".

"There is coordination between those private military companies and the state," he added.

"The shadow fleet is very active, they use military ships to follow the shadow fleet," he said.

He said the number of vessels of Russia's "shadow fleet" in the Baltic was increasing.

"Sixty percent of Russian oil goes through the Baltic, it is a lifeline."

Some sanctioned tankers have been suspected of sabotage, notably of damaging undersea cables in Baltic waters.

But Didier Maleterre, former deputy commander at NATO Allied Maritime Command, said it was usually difficult "to obtain proof of intent to sabotage".

"European countries rarely communicate this kind of information," he said.

On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron called on the European Union to keep increasing pressure on Russia over its war against Ukraine and adopt a package of sanctions that would ban shipping services for Russian crude oil.

In 2024, the US Treasury announced sanctions against Moran for offering armed security services and operating "under contract to Russian state-owned enterprises". It listed Russian national Alexey Badikov as the outfit's chief executive officer.

The company claims long-standing experience in the Middle East and in Africa, where it has carried out anti‑piracy operations, notably in Nigeria and the Indian Ocean.

Moran's president, Vyacheslav Kalashnikov, is a retired FSB lieutenant colonel, according to the Warsaw Institute, a Polish think tank.

On Monday, the Boracay, which now sails under the Russian flag and has been renamed Phoenix, was anchored near the port of Rizhao in northeastern China, according to Marine Traffic.

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I.Widmer--NZN