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1 March, 12:31
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Belgium captures Russian “shadow fleet” tanker in North Sea

Belgian special forces seized an oil tanker belonging to the Russian so-called shadow fleet that circumvents Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine.

The vessel as intercepted by special forces in the North Sea during an operation, Deputy Prime Minister Maxime Prevot said on Sunday. “Today, a vessel from Russia’s shadow fleet was intercepted in the North Sea,” Prevot posted on X social media platform, while also thanking Belgian special forces for their “exceptional professionalism and courage”. The operation was carried out jointly with Belgium’s G7, Nordic and Baltic partners and in coordination with France.

Theo Francken, Belgium’s defence minister, stated that the intercepted tanker was being taken under escort to the port of Zeebrugge, where authorities would confiscate it. Emmanuel Macron also revealed in a post on X that French naval forces supported the mission, describing the action as a significant setback for Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. The European Union has sanctioned dozens of vessels in an attempt to cut Russia’s war funding. Sunday’s capture of the Russian shadow fleet tanker was hailed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, describing the move as a “decisive decision” and calling for more “resolute” actions to block tankers transporting Russian oil. "This particular vessel has long been under US, EU, and UK sanctions, but nonetheless continued to illegally transport Russian oil using a false flag and forged documents. We welcome this strong action against Moscow's floating purse and thank France for supporting the operation," Zelenskiy wrote on X on Sunday. The Ukrainian leader also suggested that the oil seized from captured “shadow fleet” tankers must be repurposed for Europe's security.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has relied increasingly on what has become known as its “shadow fleet” to sustain oil exports despite sweeping Western sanctions. This network consists largely of aging tankers operating under opaque ownership structures, frequently changing flags, and complex insurance arrangements to obscure links to Moscow. The fleet’s purpose is to circumvent restrictions imposed by the European Union, the G7, and other partners that sought to cap the price of Russian oil and limit the Kremlin’s revenue stream for financing the war.