Suspected Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker seized in North Sea

The Guardian World

by Kate Connolly in Berlin

March 1, 2026

Belgian special forces boarded the Ethera, which was sailing under the flag of Guinea, on Saturday night Belgium has seized an oil tanker believed to form part of the so-called “shadow fleet” used by Russia to circumvent western sanctions over the war in Ukraine. Special forces assisted by French helicopters boarded the ship in a clandestine operation in the North Sea on Saturday night, Belgium’s defence minister, Theo Francken, said on Sunday. Continue reading...

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Originally published on The Guardian World on 3/1/2026