Here the US soldiers board the tanker.Video: twitter/@Sec_Noem
The US military has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker. The European Command of the US Armed Forces (Eucom) said the attack in the North Atlantic was due to “violations of US sanctions”. A ship in the Caribbean was also stopped.
Jan 7, 2026, 3:03 p.mJan 7, 2026, 4:08 p.m
An oil tanker that allegedly fled US inspection is causing tensions between Russia and the US in the North Atlantic. The cargo ship “The Marinera” is currently sailing under the Russian flag between Iceland and Scotland.
The graphic shows the route of Tankers over the last 14 days. The last data is from Wednesday morning at 10:00 a.m.Image: shipinfo.net
Previously, it is said to have suddenly changed course – still under a different name on the way to Venezuela – in order to avoid being searched by the US Coast Guard, as the Wall Street Journal and the broadcaster CBS reported.
Russia has reportedly sent a submarine and other ships to protect the tanker. The PA news agency reported that a British reconnaissance aircraft was said to have been traveling along the ship’s route.
Now Reuters reports that the US is trying to seize the tanker. The news agency writes that the operation is being carried out by the US Coast Guard and the US military.
A little later she writes “New York Times”the US Coast Guard successfully boarded the tanker and encountered no resistance from the crew.
The European command of the United States confirmed the seizure via the “X” platform and published a corresponding statement.
Neither the White House nor the British government respond specifically to questions. “The United States is the United Kingdom’s most important defense and security partner,” said a spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
US military: Second oil tanker seized in the Caribbean
The US military also announced that it had seized a second oil tanker in the Caribbean linked to Venezuela.
The ship, a “stateless, sanctioned dark fleet tanker,” was captured in a predawn operation, the U.S. military said in a statement. “The impugned ship, the M/T Sophia, was traveling in international waters and conducting illegal activities in the Caribbean. (…) The US Coast Guard is escorting the M/T Sophia to the USA for final disposal.”
Kristi Noem, US Secretary of Homeland Security, confirms the seizure of two tankers on her X account. Both ships either recently planned to anchor in Venezuela or were on their way there.
Russia views the situation with concern
Before the military operation in Venezuela with the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, US President Donald Trump had ordered a naval blockade of sanctioned oil tankers heading towards Venezuela or leaving a port in the resource-rich country.
According to reports, “The Marinera” was previously known as “Bella 1” to have transported oil from Venezuela and Iran. Russia is accused by Western allies of using old tankers to evade sanctions.
According to the Russian state news agency Tass, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow said that Russia viewed the extraordinary situation with concern.
The ship is currently sailing the waters of the North Atlantic under the flag of the Russian Federation in accordance with the norms of international maritime law.
For unknown reasons, the US military and NATO did not pay adequate increased attention to his civilian status, it was said. A US Coast Guard ship has been following the tanker for several days, even though it is approximately 4,000 kilometers from the US coast.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the tanker originally wanted to dock in Venezuela and is currently traveling without cargo.
After changing course, the US Coast Guard is said to have followed the ship – only then did the crew allegedly paint the Russian flag on the side of the ship and change the registration.
The US Southern Command wrote on Platform X on Tuesday to oppose sanctioned ships and actors. (sda/dpa)