The United States has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, with the UK confirming it provided military support during the operation.
US officials say the vessel is linked to Venezuelan oil shipments and accused of breaking American sanctions. Washington also revealed it boarded a second tanker in the Caribbean in what it described as a “back-to-back” operation targeting ships from a so-called “ghost fleet.”
According to the UK Ministry of Defence, British forces assisted the seizure of the Atlantic tanker — known as the Marinera — by providing air surveillance and deploying a Royal Navy ship to support the US mission.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the tanker’s crew could be taken to the United States for prosecution “if necessary.” Earlier, Russia’s foreign ministry warned that the US must not interfere with the crew’s return home.
Leavitt said US authorities consider the Marinera — which they are calling the Bella 1 — to be “stateless” after determining it was flying a false flag.
Russia rejected that claim, saying the tanker was only temporarily registered under its flag and insisting that “no state has the right to use force against vessels properly registered in other countries’ jurisdictions.”
The ship has been accused of violating US sanctions and transporting Iranian oil. While it has historically carried Venezuelan crude, reports suggest the tanker was empty at the time it was seized.
The incident marks another escalation in US efforts to crack down on vessels accused of skirting international sanctions, drawing sharp criticism from Moscow and highlighting growing tensions at sea.
