Guido Crosetto
Defence Minister of Italy, whose navy carried out the Operation IRINI tanker boarding.
Guido Crosetto, Italy's Defence Minister, saw his navy board the EU-sanctioned tanker Toa Payoh off Pantelleria on 2 August 2026 under Operation IRINI, with Greek and Polish support.
Last refreshed: 3 August 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
How far will Italy's navy go to stop Russia's shadow fleet in the Mediterranean?
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Praised the boarding crew's professionalism
Russia-Ukraine War 2026: EU navies board tanker off PantelleriaBackground
Guido Crosetto is Italy's Defence Minister, responsible for the armed forces including the navy that carries out Italy's contribution to EU maritime missions in the Mediterranean.
On 2 August 2026 the frigate Thaon di Revel, operating under his ministry, boarded the Cameroon-flagged tanker Toa Payoh west of Pantelleria as part of Operation IRINI, with a Greek warship and Polish patrol aircraft in support . The tanker's captain refused to produce documentation, and Italy had not confirmed a formal detention by that date.
The action is one instance of a wider EU push to enforce sanctions against Russia's shadow tanker fleet in European waters, with Crosetto's ministry providing the naval asset that carried it out.