Moscow reacts to US seizure of Russian-flagged oil tanker
The seizure of the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker by the US military is liable to have far-reaching implications for the entire Euro-Atlantic region and civilian maritime traffic globally, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow has warned.
On Wednesday, the US European Command announced the capture of the vessel in international waters to the northwest of Scotland. American warships had pursued it all the way from the Caribbean Sea.
The oil tanker, previously named Bella 1, was intercepted for alleged “violation of US sanctions” regarding the export of Venezuelan oil.
According to the Russian Transport Ministry, “On December 24, 2025, the Marinera received a temporary permit to fly the Russian flag.”
In a statement on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed “serious concern in connection with the unlawful forcible action against the Marinera oil tanker conducted by the US armed forces on January 7.”
According to officials in Moscow, the vessel was granted the right to fly the Russian flag “in accordance with the norms of international and Russian law.”
The US authorities have repeatedly been notified through official communication channels that the oil tanker is sailing under the Russian flag, with no reason to suspect otherwise, the foreign ministry insisted. It noted that international maritime law unequivocally stipulates that vessels traveling in international waters can only be stopped and searched under strictly defined circumstances. These include the suspicion of piracy or the slave trade, none of which could be reasonably applied to the Marinera, Moscow pointed out.
Russia, which should be consulted before a third nation undertakes any action against a ship sailing under its flag, had repeatedly issued official protests over the weeks-long pursuit of the Marinera by US forces, according to the Foreign Ministry.
“In light of this, the boarding of the civilian vessel by US military personnel in international waters and its effective seizure, as well as the capture of the crew, cannot be interpreted as anything but the most blatant violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international maritime law,” diplomats in Moscow stressed.
“Washington’s readiness to create acute international crises,” including those that further strain the already problematic bilateral relations, are cause for particular concern, Russian diplomats stated. They warned that the “incident involving the Marinera can only result in the further escalation of military-political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region,” setting a dangerous precedent and lowering the “threshold for the use of force against civilian vessels.” US officials’ attempts to justify the seizure of the Marinera by citing unilateral American sanctions are untenable, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Moscow also strongly objected to the threat of prosecution of the tanker’s crew on US soil voiced by American officials. Russian diplomats demanded that the crew, made up of Russian, Ukrainian and Indian nationals, be treated humanely and be allowed to return to their home countries as soon as possible.
The oil tanker in question was first targeted by US forces late last year after reportedly trying to approach Venezuela.
At the time, the US Coast Guard attempted to board it, but the crew refused to let anyone on board, changed course and headed for the Atlantic instead. During the pursuit, the crew renamed the vessel and availed itself of the right to apply for a temporary permit to fly the Russian flag, which the tanker was granted.
The seizure of the Marinera came just days after US forces conducted a military raid in Venezuela and abducted its president, Nicolas Maduro, who Washington has formally charged with drug trafficking.
