The United States has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean in a high-stakes operation that could risk confrontation with the Kremlin, after Moscow reportedly dispatched a submarine to safeguard the vessel, The Guardian has reported.
US European Command said on Wednesday that it boarded the tanker, Marinera, over alleged sanctions violations, bringing to an end a dramatic two-week pursuit that began in the Caribbean and concluded in the Atlantic.
Earlier, Russian state-controlled broadcaster RT published two grainy photographs showing a helicopter approaching the Marinera, saying an operation was under way.
The seizure — the first known US military seizure of a Russian-flagged vessel in recent history — marks the latest demonstration of US military reach.
Separately, the US Coast Guard said it intercepted another sanctioned “dark-fleet” tanker, the M Sophia, in a pre-dawn operation in the Caribbean.
Commenting on the twin operations, the White House signalled it would continue seizing Venezuela-linked oil vessels after President Donald Trump last month imposed what he described as a “complete blockade” on ships transporting oil for Caracas.
“The US will enforce all sanctions,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
Asked whether the seizure of a Russian-flagged tanker in the Atlantic risked escalating tensions with Moscow, Leavitt did not respond directly, saying the vessel’s crew could be transferred to the US for prosecution “if necessary”.
Russia’s foreign ministry has demanded that the US ensure the humane and dignified treatment of Russian citizens onboard the Marinera and guarantee their swift return to Russia.
Leavitt said: “The president has very good, open relationships with both President Putin and President Xi. He has spoken with them numerous times … and I believe those personal relationships are going to continue.”
Ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic showed the Marinera navigating in the Atlantic between Iceland and the United Kingdom.
The Wall Street Journal reported that several helicopters and at least one US Coast Guard vessel were used to take control of the tanker.
Britain provided support to the operation, the UK Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
The Kremlin’s immediate reaction to the seizure has been notably muted, with Moscow appearing keen to improve ties with Washington under Trump in hopes of securing favourable terms in talks over Ukraine.
Russia’s transport ministry said US forces boarded the vessel outside the territorial waters of any state and that contact with it had been lost. The ministry cited the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which states that “no state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states”.
US aircraft were also reported to be monitoring a tanker off Ireland that allegedly attempted to evade the Venezuelan oil blockade.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X: “The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world.”
The pursuit of the Marinera reportedly began after the tanker turned back into the Atlantic while travelling from Iran to Venezuela, having attempted to evade a US blockade targeting sanction-hit oil tankers operating near Venezuelan waters.
The operation is expected to strain relations with President Vladimir Putin, coming at a sensitive moment as negotiations over a potential peace deal in Ukraine continue, and following the US capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, a longstanding Kremlin ally.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andrii Sybiha, welcomed the seizure, describing it as an example of decisive action against Moscow and praising what he called President Trump’s resolute leadership.
“We welcome such an approach to dealing with Russia: act, not fear. This is also relevant to the peace process and bringing a lasting peace closer,” Sybiha wrote on X.
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