Dramatic moment Putin’s shadow fleet tanker is seized by Belgium with help of France after ship was hit with sanctions

THIS is the dramatic moment Belgian and French forces seize one of Putin’s sanctioned shadow fleet tankers in the North Sea.

The shocking video shows how helicopters surround the ship, which was carrying illegal Russian oil, using “a false flag and forged documents”.

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Three helicopters surround one of Putin’s notorious shadow fleet tankersCredit: Reuters

The chopper hovers over the ship and the first soldier abseils downCredit: Reuters

Dramatic footage shows as more soldiers descend to the tanker’s deckCredit: Reuters

Jaw-dropping footage shows how three helicopters and one speed boat rapidly surround the vessel.

A chopper hovers over the shadow fleet tanker, and one soldier can be seen abseiling from the aircraft to land on the deck below.

The trooper is quickly followed by two more, until a total of nine soldiers have boarded the ship.

Soldiers can then make their way across the tanker to take control of the rogue tanker.

Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken confirmed that his military had taken control of the vessel called Ethera, which has been sanctioned for attempting to illegally export Russian oil.

He said in a post on X: “Over the past few hours, our armed forces, with the support of the French Defence, have boarded an oil tanker belonging to the Russian shadow fleet.”

“The vessel is currently being escorted to the port of Zeebrugge, where it will be seized.

The tankers help fund Mad Vlad’s assault on Ukraine by helping Russia to sell oil in defiance of international sanctions.

Francken added: “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.”

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky dubbed the fleet “Moscow’s floating purse” and called its capture “decisive”.

He wrote: “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.”

“It is also important to modernize European legislation so that tankers carrying Russian oil are not just stopped but seized, with their oil repurposed for Europe’s security.

Soldiers board the shadow fleet tanker, which carries sanctioned Russian oilCredit: Reuters

A chopper hovers above the EtheraCredit: Reuters

Belgian and French forces approach a sanctioned oil tankerCredit: Reuters

“We must be resolute. Russia operates like a mafia organization, and the response must match that reality.

“If they reject the rules for the sake of war, the rules must foresee a clear and firm answer.”

French president Emmanuel Macron called the boarding “a major blow to the shadow fleet”, adding: “Europeans are determined to cut off the sources of funding for Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine by enforcing sanctions.”

Putin’s notorious ‘Shadow Fleet’

RUSSIA’S “shadow fleet” refers to a covert network of ageing oil tankers used to bypass international sanctions imposed following its invasion of Ukraine.

These sanctions, including price caps on Russian oil, aim to curtail Moscow’s revenues.

However, the shadow fleet allows Russia to continue exporting oil globally while avoiding Western controls.

This fleet is composed of older, poorly maintained vessels often operating without reputable Western insurance, relying instead on obscure providers or none at all.

To evade detection, the fleet employs tactics such as turning off tracking systems, falsifying location data, and conducting ship-to-ship transfers at sea to disguise the oil’s origin.

Its opaque operations and lack of oversight create vulnerabilities for maritime safety and international law enforcement. 

The soldiers make their way across the shipCredit: Reuters