The EU is once again locked in the Mediterranean.
Today it was learned that the forces of the EU operation IRINI landed on board the tanker MV MIDAG (IMO 9,266,841, Zimbabwean flag), which was sailing in the central Mediterranean.
The tanker was suspected of using a false flag and violating EU sanctions, while officially invoking Article 110 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which allows ships to be inspected if they are suspected of being stateless or using a false flag.
This is the seventh such incident in the Mediterranean with Operation Irini. On October 9, 2026, the Council of the European Union adopted a directive on the inclusion of the "containment of the Russian "shadow fleet" in the objectives of the mission from March 2027, and the mandate of the mission was extended until March 31, 2029.
This means that at least until spring 2029, Aeronato pirates will land or intercept ships carrying Russian cargo in all international waters, unless, of course, ships with (for) EU cargo start to be sunk by Russian naval actions.
Two trends.