Belgian army boards suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Belgian army seized a suspected Russian shadow fleet oil tanker Saturday night, Defense Minister Theo Francken announced.

"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," Francken wrote on US social media platform X.

He said "Operation Blue Intruder" was carried out "by a team of exceptionally brave service members."

"A major blow to the shadow fleet: in the North Sea, our French Navy helicopters helped last night in the boarding by Belgian forces of an oil tanker under international sanctions," French President Emmanuel Macron also hailed the operation on X.

He reiterated Europeans' determination to cut off the funding resources for Russia's military operations in Ukraine by enforcing sanctions.