MOSCOW, January 30. /TASS/. The Grinch tanker, which was detained by the French Navy, has no connection with Russia, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.

"Regarding the tanker you mentioned, according to information available in open sources, it has no connection with our country," she said.

"The ship's owner is a company registered in the Marshall Islands, and the crew, as far as we know, consists of Indian citizens. <...> Therefore, the detained vessel truly has no connection with our country," the diplomat noted.

Zakharova stressed that Moscow considers any infringement on freedom of navigation unacceptable.

"References to European Union sanctions the French leadership so pretentiously calls international, as grounds for coercive action against any tankers are completely untenable. Unilateral restrictive measures themselves are contrary to international law. In any case, they cannot serve as grounds for exercising jurisdiction on the high seas and seizing vessels. The list of such grounds under international law is exhaustive, and unilateral restrictions, as all experts know, are not included," she noted.

"If international law is violated with respect to ships flying our flag, Russia will take all available measures to protect them," the diplomat concluded.

On January 22, the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean zone reported that the Grinch tanker detained by the French Navy in the Mediterranean Sea due to suspected flag irregularities was en route from the Russian port of Murmansk. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the detention of a tanker from Russia by the French Navy in the Mediterranean

Consequently, the tanker was escorted to its anchorage, and the Marseille prosecutor's office launched an investigation. The vessel's captain was temporarily detained and is suspected of operating a vessel without a flag, which carries a potential prison sentence of up to one year and a fine of up to 150,000 euros. He was released on Tuesday, but the prosecutor's office noted that the tanker had been under administrative arrest since January 26, which remains in effect.