New EU sanctions against Moscow led to France intercepting a Russian vessel in the English Channel.
The cargo ship was carrying cars from Rouen to St. Petersburg. Boulogne-sur-Mer is a port in northern France.
The press office of the Maritime Prefecture of the Channel confirmed to NBC News that it is suspected of belonging to a Russian company that is on a sanctions list.
Reports say that the crew of the 127 meter long vessel is cooperating with the authorities.
The Russian RIA news agency said that the Russian embassy in France contacted the French authorities for clarification.
Sea police patrol the waters at night looking for migrants crossing the Channel. The Russian boat was ordered to return to the French port after they came across it.
According to NBC News, the boat is being investigated by French customs agents to see if it has violated the sanctions.
The United States and its European allies have decided to impose sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin. The EU has a larger list of Russians that are subject to penalties.
EU leaders backed another set of sanctions against Russia on Thursday that aim to block access to key technologies and markets.
They will look to weaken Russia's economic base and its capacity to modernize, as well as freeze Russian assets in the EU.
Von der Leyen said Thursday that the Russian leadership had an "unprecedented act of aggression" against a country.
Russia's target is more than just Donbass, it's also stability in Europe and the whole international rules-based order. We will hold Russia accountable for that.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that his army was still in control of the capital.
Russian forces were closing in on the city. Russian troops were planning to enter the capital, so the Ukrainians blew up the bridges.
The article was contributed to by CNBC's Silvia Amaro.
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