French prosecutors said on Thursday the captain of an oil tanker, which the French Navy stopped off the western coast, will face trial. France has alleged that the vessel is part of Russia's "shadow fleet" of tankers trying to avoid sanctions.
The prosecutors from the port city of Brest said navy member boarded the ship on Saturday. They then took the captain and the first mate, who are both Chinese nationals, into custody on Tuesday.
The captain is being prosecuted for refusing to comply with a naval commander's orders.
The officials said the vessel, which had no flag under international law, was traveling from Russia to India with a large cargo of oil. The tanker has frequently changed its name.
Speaking at a European summit in Copenhagen, French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that it is important to "kill the business model" to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
He pointed to the need to crack down on the ships, saying, "It's extremely important to increase the pressure on this shadow fleet, because it will clearly reduce the capacity to finance this war effort for Russia."
Macron said his country estimates 30 to 40 percent of the Russian campaign is financed through the shadow fleet's revenues, which amounts to more than 30 billion euros, or about 35 billion dollars.

Quiz 1:
What is the nationality of the captain being prosecuted?
A. French
B. Russian
C. Chinese
D. Indian

Quiz 2:
Which city are the French prosecutors located in?
A. Moscow
B. London
C. Paris
D. Brest

Quiz 3:
What was the estimated percentage of Russia's campaign financing through the shadow fleet's revenues, according to French President Emmanuel Macron?
A. 10%
B. 20%
C. 30-40%
D. 50%