US Military Seizes Oil Tanker Linked to Venezuelan Ties with Russia

US Seizes Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker in North Atlantic

A US operation resulted in the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker, the Marinera, on Wednesday. The tanker was taken into custody for violating US sanctions.

According to the US European Command, the blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in effect worldwide. The US Defense Secretary stated that the operation aimed to enforce this policy.

The Marinera had previously slipped through a US maritime blockade of sanctioned tankers bound for Venezuela and rebuffed attempts by the US Coast Guard to board it. American officials have identified the tanker as part of a “shadow fleet” carrying oil for countries such as Venezuela, Russia, and Iran in violation of US sanctions.

Russian state broadcaster RT reported that US forces boarded the Marinera from a helicopter, citing an unnamed source. The Russian government has not confirmed whether they sent any vessels or submarines to accompany the tanker during the operation.

The US Coast Guard had been pursuing the Marinera since last month, ahead of a military operation in Venezuela. Tracking data showed the tanker nearing Iceland’s exclusive economic zone on Wednesday. Reuters reported that a Russian submarine and warship were present in the vicinity, but there was no indication of any confrontation between US and Russian forces.

The Russian foreign ministry stated that it is monitoring the situation and calling for Western countries to respect the vessel’s right to freedom of navigation. The ship was previously sanctioned by the US in 2024 for allegedly smuggling cargo for a company linked to Hezbollah.

Source: Al Jazeera