Belgian and French forces on Saturday, 28th February, boarded the Ethera. Prosecutors said the tanker was part of the Russian "shadow fleet" operating falsely under the flag of Guinea.
The ship's captain, a Russian citizen, was questioned. Belgium - who's federal prosecutors office is leading the investigation - added that the documents found on the 18 year old tanker, as it entered the Belgian EEZ were suspected of being false.
Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade for Belgium, Theo Francken, said the vessel has been escorted to the port of Zeebrugge. On X he added the following statement:
"Without his shadow fleet [Putin] can’t wage war against innocent Ukrainians. So we take these vessels out. One by one. Till his war of [aggression] stops. Belgium maybe a small country. But we are founding father of NATO and the EU and we take our [responsibility] serious. After years of decline and abdication, Belgium is [finally] back. When it matters, we don’t hide. We show up."
Russia has repeatedly described the seizure of tankers suspected to be used to keep up its trade, amid sanctions, as acts of piracy.
President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, commends Belgium for their “strong action against Moscow’s floating purse."
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