Belgian special forces, supported by French helicopters, boarded the oil tanker Ethera in the North Sea on Saturday night, seizing the vessel believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet used to evade western sanctions over the war in Ukraine. Belgium's defence minister, Theo Francken, confirmed the operation on Sunday, stating the ship was escorted to Zeebrugge harbour for confiscation.
The tanker, sailing under the flag of Guinea, was intercepted in Belgium's exclusive economic zone. The federal prosecutor's office said the captain, a Russian citizen, is being questioned, and a criminal investigation is under way. Ship documents are also suspected of being forged.
The seizure marks a hardening of Europe's stance against Russia's shadow fleet, which consists of often dilapidated tankers transporting Russian crude oil under flags of convenience to destinations like China and India. The oil is then processed and sold internationally, circumventing sanctions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Belgium for its 'strong action against Moscow's floating purse' and thanked France for support. French President Emmanuel Macron called the seizure a 'serious blow' to Russia's shadow fleet, noting that French Navy helicopters contributed to the boarding operation.
Russia has previously described such seizures as acts of piracy. The shadow fleet has also been linked to damage to underwater infrastructure, including cables in the Baltic Sea, and is considered an environmental and navigational hazard due to poor maintenance.
