US Detains Tanker From Russian Shadow Fleet After Weeks Of Pursuit

(MENAFN- UkrinForm) US European Command stated this on the social media platform X, Ukrinform reports.

"The US Department of Justice and the US Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Pentagon, today announced the seizure of the M/V Bella 1 for violations of U.S. sanctions," the command said.

It is noted that the vessel was detained in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a US federal court. The tanker was tracked by the US Coast Guard cutter USCGC Munro.

NBC News reports that the vessel, which changed its name from Bella 1 to Marinera, was pursued last month by the US Coast Guard off the coast of Venezuela.

This is one of the sanctioned oil tankers that had been operating near Venezuela and recently changed its flag to Russian. The crude oil tanker has been on the US sanctions list since June 2024.

As of January 5, it was located off the west coast of Scotland in the North Atlantic.

On Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was "monitoring with concern the abnormal situation around the Russian oil tanker Marinera."

Read also: US senator urges Trump to seize Russia's 'shadow fleet' tankers

As Ukrinform reported, the United States had been attempting to seize an oil tanker linked to Venezuela after more than two weeks of pursuit in the Atlantic Ocean.

First photo: x.com/US_EUCOM

MENAFN07012026000193011044ID1110569557