Russia issues a serious warning of potential conflict with the US following the seizure of the Marinera oil tanker by American forces. The operation, supported by RAF surveillance aircraft and RFA Tideforce, took place in the Atlantic after a US request. The Venezuelan-linked vessel, formerly named Bella 1, was captured in the waters between Iceland and Scotland while being monitored by Russian forces.
Russian lawmaker Alexei Zhuravlev urged President Vladimir Putin to retaliate with torpedoes and target American Coast Guard boats, denouncing the seizure as an act of piracy by the US Navy. He emphasized that the tanker was sailing under the Russian flag, equating the incident to an infringement on Russian territory, potentially warranting a military response, including the use of nuclear weapons.
Other Russian officials, including Deputy Chairman of the defense committee and MP Lt-Gen Andrey Gurulev, expressed strong reactions, proposing sanctions on ships heading to Black Sea ports and the use of nuclear-capable missile systems to disrupt Western missile production.
Former Kremlin president Dmitry Medvedev cautioned the Trump administration against provoking Russia. Defense Secretary John Healey justified the seizure, citing the vessel’s stateless status and involvement in violating sanctions on Iran by transporting millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil.
The Russian Foreign Ministry criticized the seizure, alleging a breach of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and claiming to have granted the ship temporary permission to sail under the Russian flag. Kremlin adviser Andrei Fedorov warned that such actions could severely strain relations between Russia and the US.