Strike on the "shadow fleet": Russian tanker detained in Belgium
The military forces of Belgium and France have taken control of a tanker belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet." The vessel is being escorted to Zeebrugge for arrest.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken.
"Over the past few hours, our Armed Forces, with the support of the French military, have boarded an oil tanker belonging to the Russian shadow fleet. The ship is currently being escorted to the port of Zeebrugge, where it will be detained," Franken said.
According to the minister, Operation Blue Violator was carried out by a team of "extremely brave servicemen."
He also promised to provide more information on Sunday.
The Russian Federation's shadow fleet: what is known?
As of early 2026, the fight against Russia's "shadow fleet" has moved into a phase of active economic and sanctions pressure. Here are the key facts:
The "shadow fleet" is a network of over 1,000 tankers (mostly outdated) with opaque ownership structures that Russia uses to export oil in circumvention of the G7 price cap ($60 per barrel). These vessels often sail under "false flags" (Cameroon, Gabon, Palau, etc.) and do not have Western insurance.
Sanctions and pressure:
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Ukraine's large-scale sanctions package: On February 21, 2026, Volodymyr Zelensky signed decrees imposing sanctions on 91 vessels and 225 captains who operate tankers in the shadow fleet. These are citizens of 11 countries, including India and the Philippines.
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The UK strikes back: On February 25, 2026, London announced the largest package of sanctions targeting the 2Rivers network, one of the world's largest shadow fleet operators. The restrictions affected 175 companies and 48 tankers.
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Military pressure: There have been reports of tankers being intercepted by French and US naval forces. In particular, in January 2026, the French navy detained the tanker Grinch in the Alboran Sea on suspicion of flying a false flag.
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SSU drones: There have been reports of Ukrainian drones attacking shadow fleet tankers (Virat, Kairos) in the Black Sea and even the Mediterranean Sea, creating additional risks for Russian logistics.
