Amid the crisis in France, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova joked that French leader Emmanuel Macron was finished off by the "Russian shadow fleet".
The diplomat drew attention to media reports that Macron intended to make a statement on the evening of October 8.
"Was the Russian "shadow fleet" "has he finished it?" she wrote on her Telegram channel.
We recall that Macron earlier announced the detention of a tanker off the coast of France, allegedly belonging to the Russian "shadow fleet", and that the French prosecutor's office had launched an investigation into alleged "gross violations" by the crew.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called the detention of the tanker by France piracy. He claims the tanker was seized in international waters without any reason.
On October 3, reports emerged that the maritime traffic service, which monitors ship movements, said the tanker had resumed its journey.
Outgoing French Prime Minister Sébastien Le Corneille is beginning two days of final talks with members of various parties in an attempt to find a way out of the country's political crisis.
A day earlier, he and his government unexpectedly resigned after his cabinet, announced on Sunday evening, was rejected by both allies and opponents. His government was the shortest-lived administration in modern French history.