Russia seeks clarification after Belgium captures oil tanker Ethera in North Sea

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The Russian Embassy in Belgium said on Sunday that it is seeking clarification on the situation surrounding the oil tanker Ethera, which was captured by Belgium in the North Sea off the coast of France.

In a statement on Telegram, the diplomatic mission said it had received no official notification from Belgian authorities regarding the capture or the citizenship of the vessel's crew members.

"There was no official notification from the Belgian authorities to the Russian Embassy about the fact and reasons for the detention of the Ethera oil tanker in the North Sea on March 1, 2026. We were also not provided with any information about the national composition of its crew," the statement read.

The embassy added that it is currently taking the necessary steps to determine whether Russian citizens are on board and to ensure their legal rights if confirmed.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities welcomed the capture, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying on US social media platform X that the vessel was under sanctions.

"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," Zelenskyy said.

Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha added on Telegram: "Belgium is once again demonstrating leadership in strengthening Europe's security."

"We call on all partners to follow this example, to resolutely counter Russia's shadow fleet through sanctions and concrete actions, and to promote peace by force," he said.

Earlier in the day, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken announced that an oil tanker had been captured in the North Sea and escorted to the port of Zeebrugge on Saturday night. According to him, Belgian authorities plan to seize the vessel.