In a significant multinational operation, Belgian special forces have intercepted and seized a Russian oil tanker belonging to Moscow’s ‘shadow fleet’ used to circumvent Western sanctions. The vessel, identified as the ‘Ethera,’ was boarded overnight in Belgium’s exclusive economic zone with aerial support from French military helicopters before being escorted to the port of Zeebrugge for confiscation.
Federal prosecutors confirmed the tanker was sailing under the false flag of Guinea while actually operating as part of Russia’s sanctions-evasion network. During inspection, authorities discovered suspected forged ship documents, prompting the opening of a criminal investigation. Sailing under false flags violates multiple international maritime regulations concerning safety, insurance, and environmental standards.
French President Emmanuel Macron hailed the operation on social media as a ‘major blow’ to Russia’s shadow fleet, while Belgian officials emphasized the importance of sanctions enforcement. ‘Sanctions only matter if they are enforced. Today, we enforced them,’ stated Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot.
The operation was conducted in coordination with G7, Nordic, and Baltic partners, highlighting international cooperation against Russian sanctions evasion. French forces provided critical air support with two NH90 helicopters, with footage showing Belgian commandos rappelling onto the vessel’s deck.
Russia’s embassy in Brussels stated it had not received official notification of the detention and was investigating whether Russian citizens were among the crew. Meanwhile, Ukrainian leadership welcomed the seizure, with President Volodymyr Zelensky describing it as ‘strong action against Moscow’s floating purse.’
This incident follows previous seizures of suspected Russian shadow fleet vessels, including France’s interception of the tanker ‘Grinch’ in January and another vessel in September that was found carrying employees of a Russian private security company tasked with monitoring crew and gathering intelligence.