The US military captures a Russian-flagged tanker linked to Venezuela after a two-week Atlantic pursuit, marking a significant operation.
The US military has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela after a two-week pursuit across the Atlantic, reported Reuters.
Officials stated that the operation near Iceland involved both the coast guard and the US military, marking the first seizure of a Russian-flagged vessel in recent memory. The 318,518-dwt tanker, originally named Bella-1, had slipped through a blockade in the Caribbean and resisted boarding attempts before being renamed Marinera.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that the blockade of Venezuelan oil remains in full effect worldwide. Russian military vessels, including a submarine, were reported in the vicinity; however, there was no confrontation. Moscow has not commented on the incident, while Russian media published images of a helicopter near the ship.
The seizure followed a US special forces raid in Caracas that captured President Nicolas Maduro, who was subsequently flown to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. Sources indicated that the tanker may enter British waters, although the Ministry of Defence declined to comment.
The coast guard has also intercepted another Venezuela-linked vessel, the Panama-flagged supertanker M Sophia, which departed in early January carrying oil to China in 'dark mode.'
Venezuela has millions of barrels of oil stranded due to sanctions imposed since mid-December. Trump stated that Caracas and Washington have agreed to export up to US$2 billion of crude to the United States, diverting supplies from China. He has demanded that interim President Delcy Rodriguez grant US companies full access to Venezuela's oil industry. Analysts warn that the shadow fleet of tankers remains vulnerable to punitive measures.
