US releases Russian sailors – Moscow
US authorities have released two Russian sailors who were captured earlier this month as part of Washington’s enforcement of sanctions against Venezuela, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.
The sailors were part of the crew of the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, which was seized on January 7 in the North Atlantic after being tracked by the US from the Caribbean Sea. US officials have accused the vessel, chartered by a private trader, of violating oil sanctions against Venezuela.
The Marinera had a crew of 28, including six Georgian nationals, 17 Ukrainians, three Indians, and two Russians, according to media reports.
Moscow condemned the seizure as a serious violation of international maritime law and demanded that the US release the detained sailors.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Zakharova confirmed that “the two sailors have been freed and are on their way back to Russia.”
Two days after the seizure, Moscow said the US had released the Russian sailors at President Donald Trump’s behest, but later clarified that they remained in custody, voicing hope that the issue would be resolved in the near future.
The US has been enforcing a blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil exports for several weeks, having seized at least seven tankers it deemed were violating sanctions. However, Washington has eased its sanctions against the oil-rich state since kidnapping Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and engaging in dialogue with interim leader Delcy Rodriguez.
On Tuesday, Reuters reported that the US was preparing to issue a general license, which would pave the way for a broad easing of sanctions as opposed to earlier individual waivers.
