America News Agency

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement regarding the European Union's naval Operation Irini off the coast of Libya.

The ministry claimed that the operation is being used to obstruct the maritime transport of oil and other cargoes in the interests of the Russian Federation. The statement alleged that European forces are conducting unlawful searches of foreign vessels on the basis of the operation's “modified” mandate.

The statement cited the search of the Cameroon-flagged vessel Tao Payoh in the Mediterranean on August 2 as an example. It said the vessel was searched by Italian troops with support from a Polish patrol aircraft and a Greek patrol vessel, that the search lasted about two hours and that the ship later continued its voyage.

The Russian Foreign Ministry recalled that Operation Irini, authorized by the United Nations Security Council, was intended to enforce the arms embargo on Libya, gather information on the illegal export of Libyan oil and prevent illegal human trafficking at sea.

The ministry argued that the operation's mandate expired in May 2026 and claimed that the EU is now using Operation Irini to deter commercial vessels and obstruct freedom of navigation.

The statement alleged that the EU's actions constitute a “clear violation” of existing international rules, while EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas was also accused of disregarding international law.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also said that verifying the flags of vessels is permissible under maritime law, but claimed that the practice was being used for political purposes in this case. It stated that the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea cannot be overridden by the EU's internal decisions.

The statement argued that through such practices, the EU is taking steps that go beyond international regulations and that this poses serious risks for the European Union.