Shafaq News– Washington
US forces seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker ininternational waters of the North Atlantic under a federal court warrant, theUS European Command announced on Wednesday.
In a post on X, the command reported that the tankerMarinera, previously known as Bella 1, was intercepted after being tracked fromthe Caribbean Sea to waters northwest of Scotland over alleged sanctionsviolations.
The @TheJusticeDept & @DHSgov, in coordination with the @DeptofWar today announced the seizure ofthe M/V Bella 1 for violations of U.S. sanctions. The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro. pic.twitter.com/bm5KcCK30X
— U.S. European Command (@US_EUCOM) January 7, 2026Russian state outlet RT, citing unnamed sources,described the operation as an aerial boarding, labeling it a dangerousescalation. “The ship’s captain repeatedly identified the vessel as a Russiancivilian tanker during the encounter.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said, in remarkscarried by RT, that the tanker was operating legally under the Russian flag ininternational waters and in line with maritime law, noting that US authoritiesmonitored the vessel for days and urging Western states to respect freedom ofnavigation.
The ship’s operator, Borivest Marine, warned earlierthat the tanker MT Marinera was being pursued in harsh weather conditions whiletraveling empty toward the Russian port of Murmansk at about 8.5 knots underaerial surveillance by P-8A Poseidon aircraft.
US authorities have linked the tanker to a “shadow fleet” used to transport illicit oil, pointing out that it was sanctioned in2024 over allegations of carrying Iranian and Venezuelan crude and repeatedlychanging names and registrations.
The seizure followed a US attempt last month to boardthe vessel in the Caribbean, after which it was tracked across the Atlantic.Russian media reported that Moscow deployed a submarine to escort the tankerduring part of the voyage, a claim not confirmed by US officials.
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