Belgium’s special forces successfully boarded and seized an oil tanker from Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in an overnight operation, authorities announced Sunday. The move targets Russia’s efforts to circumvent Western sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine.
The Belgian government confirmed that the vessel was intercepted in Belgium’s exclusive economic zone in the North Sea, with aerial support from French military helicopters. Defence Minister Theo Francken stated that the tanker was subsequently escorted to the port of Zeebrugge.
Prosecutors identified the ship as the Ethera, which was reportedly en route back to Russia. A spokeswoman for the Belgian federal prosecutor’s office said the Russian captain is currently being questioned by investigators.
Although the tanker flew the flag of Guinea, an onboard inspection confirmed suspicions that it was operating under a false flag, with fraudulent ship documents found.
“If a ship sails under a false flag, this means that it does not comply with several international regulations,” prosecutors said, noting that a criminal investigation has been opened.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the operation on X (formerly Twitter), describing the intervention as a “major blow” to Russia’s shadow fleet.
Russia has relied on a flotilla of ageing, opaque-owned tankers to bypass restrictions on its crude oil exports, which have been heavily sanctioned since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The Belgian Defence Ministry confirmed that the Ethera was listed on the EU sanctions registry, part of efforts to curb Moscow’s revenue from oil exports.
“Sanctions only matter if they are enforced. Today, we enforced them,” said Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot, who also serves as deputy prime minister.
The seizure demonstrates Europe’s continued resolve to enforce sanctions and disrupt Russia’s attempts to exploit loopholes in global maritime trade.
