Russia condemns US seizure of oil tanker as 'piracy', deploys submarine for protection

MOSCOW (Web Desk) – Russia has strongly condemned the United States for seizing a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean, calling the move illegal and a violation of international maritime law, as fresh details emerged of Moscow deploying naval assets, including a submarine, to protect the vessel.

According to US naval and coast guard officials, the tanker, now named Marinera and formerly known as Bella-1, was boarded and seized after what they described as prolonged surveillance. The operation was carried out near Iceland by the US Navy and Coast Guard as part of Washington’s efforts to curb Venezuelan oil exports.

Russian authorities confirmed that contact with the vessel was lost after US forces boarded it. Russia’s Transport Ministry said the tanker was lawfully registered under the Russian flag and was operating in international waters at the time of the seizure.

In a statement, the ministry said that under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation applies on the high seas and no state has the right to use force against vessels properly registered under another country’s jurisdiction.

The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed “serious concern” over what it described as the pursuit and seizure of its vessel by US forces, demanding humane treatment of the Russian crew and their swift return home. State news agency TASS quoted officials as saying Moscow was monitoring the situation closely.

US authorities allege the tanker was part of a so-called “shadow fleet”, a network of ships accused of covertly transporting crude oil for sanctioned countries including Venezuela, Russia and Iran. The vessel has been under US sanctions since 2024 and has previously been accused of links to Iran and Hezbollah.

Trump's oil push widens with seizure of Russian-flagged tanker linked to Venezuela

According to the US Coast Guard, the ship had recently transferred its registration to Russia, changed its name from Bella-1 to Marinera, and last month had its crew paint the Russian flag prominently on its hull.

Reports by The Wall Street Journal and CBS News said Russia responded to the seizure by deploying a submarine and additional warships to safeguard the tanker, a move confirmed by US officials. Two US officials told Reuters that Russian military vessels were in the vicinity during the operation, although there were no signs of any direct confrontation.

Despite travelling towards Venezuela, sources said the tanker was not carrying any oil at the time and had earlier slipped through a US maritime blockade targeting sanctioned tankers in the Caribbean.

The seizure comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions. A senior Russian lawmaker, Andrei Klishas, described the US action as “outright piracy”, linking it to Washington’s broader pressure campaign against Venezuela.

Relations between Moscow and Washington deteriorated sharply following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, though ties have shown limited improvement since President Donald Trump began his second term and reopened dialogue with President Vladimir Putin.

Military incidents between the two nuclear-armed powers remain rare, but the latest episode has raised concerns over escalating maritime friction at a time of shifting alliances in Latin America and renewed US efforts to isolate Venezuela.