Belgium detains tanker belonging to Russian shadow fleet for the first time
1 March 10:12
Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken announced that the military had detained an oil tanker belonging to the Russian shadow fleet.
He reported this on social media, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“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.
What is the Russian “shadow fleet”?
The shadow fleet is a network of old oil tankers with anonymous owners that Russia uses to circumvent Western sanctions and oil price caps. Such vessels often lack proper insurance and disable identification systems, posing significant environmental risks to the countries whose coasts they sail past.
It should be noted that the European Union and the Group of Seven (G7) countries have recently increased pressure on the Russian tanker fleet. Earlier, a number of European countries, including Denmark, announced their intention to restrict the passage of questionable vessels through their territorial waters due to the threat of oil spills and the financing of Russia’s military aggression.
20th package of EU sanctions
On the eve of the anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Commission presented a draft of the 20th package of sanctions against Russia. The main goal of the new restrictions, presented on February 6, is to increase pressure on the Kremlin’s key sources of income — the energy and financial sectors. The package was planned to be officially approved by the symbolic date of February 24 to demonstrate the EU’s unity in supporting Ukraine.
The fight against circumvention of the oil embargo occupies a central place in the document. The European Commission proposes to introduce a total ban on the provision of any maritime services for the transportation of Russian oil. Special attention is paid to the “shadow fleet”: the list of sanctioned vessels is planned to be expanded to 640 units, significantly limiting their maintenance and logistical support.
Despite Brussels’ decisive stance, heated discussions continue within the European Union. Some member states are calling for certain provisions of the package to be softened, fearing economic consequences. The most controversial provisions are those concerning sanctions against foreign ports and banking institutions in third countries which, according to intelligence reports, are helping Moscow to circumvent oil price restrictions.
