Belgium's special forces have successfully boarded a Russian oil tanker identified as part of the Russian 'shadow fleet', which is believed to be evading Western sanctions imposed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The tanker is being escorted to the Belgian port of Zeebrugge, where it will be officially seized according to statements from Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken.

This operation represents a significant blow to Russia's attempts to circumvent restrictions placed on its oil trade by Western nations. The international effort to seize the vessel includes participation from G7 countries as well as Nordic and Baltic nations, as stated by Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot. She expressed that as long as Russia continues its aggression against Ukraine, the measures against such operations will persist.

The European Union has blacklisted hundreds of vessels suspected of illegally transporting Russian oil in defiance of established sanctions. The success of this operation underscores the ongoing international commitment to enforce these sanctions and hampers Russia's oil trade capabilities at a critical time during the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.