"The Pentagon's European Command announced the operation on Wednesday morning, and Russian media also reported that the vessel had been boarded by U.S. forces. European Command said that the vessel was violating the U.S.'s sanctions on Venezuela's oil exports, which legal experts have repeatedly said are illegal under international law. The tanker, originally known as the Bella-1 and renamed to the Marinera, was sailing under the Russian flag and was being escorted by at least one Russian naval vessel."
"For weeks, it had evaded capture, and had reportedly never landed in Venezuela. The vessel was reportedly empty when the U.S. seized it. U.S. European Command said that the operation was carried out by the Department of Defense in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. "This seizure supports [Trump's] Proclamation targeting sanctioned vessels that threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere," the command said on X."
The U.S. reported the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the northern Atlantic, alleging ties to Venezuela and violations of U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports. The tanker, originally Bella-1 and renamed Marinera, sailed under the Russian flag and was escorted by at least one Russian naval vessel. The vessel had evaded capture for weeks and had reportedly never landed in Venezuela. U.S. European Command said the operation involved the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security and supported a Proclamation targeting sanctioned vessels. Legal experts have repeatedly said U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports are illegal under international law. Russian officials condemned the seizure.
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