Russia Condemns U.S. Seizure of Oil Tanker Marinera, Warns of Escalation in North Atlantic

Moscow, Russia – January 8, 2026

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a strongly worded statement condemning what it described as the illegal and forcible seizure of the oil tanker Marinera by the United States Armed Forces in the North Atlantic, warning that the incident represents a grave violation of international maritime law and a dangerous escalation of military tensions.

According to the statement, the Marinera was lawfully authorised to fly the Russian flag on December 24, in full compliance with both Russian and international legal frameworks.

At the time of the incident on January 7, the vessel was said to be peacefully transiting international waters en route to a Russian port, carrying out a civilian, non-military voyage.

Moscow stressed that U.S. authorities had been repeatedly and formally notified, including through direct communications with the Russian Foreign Ministry, that the tanker was properly registered under the Russian flag and did not fall under any category permitting interdiction.

The Foreign Ministry rejected claims that the tanker was sailing “without a flag” or “under a false flag,” describing such assertions as baseless and deliberately misleading.

It emphasized that under international maritime law, a vessel on the high seas falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of its flag state, and that stopping or boarding a ship is only permissible under narrowly defined circumstances such as piracy or slave trading, none of which applied to the Marinera.

Russia further revealed that it had explicitly refused consent for any inspection of the vessel and had formally protested to U.S. authorities in recent weeks over what it called the persistent and unlawful pursuit of the tanker by a U.S. Coast Guard vessel.

Moscow said it had demanded an immediate halt to the chase and the withdrawal of what it termed illegal demands made to the ship’s captain.

The boarding and de facto seizure of the Marinera, along with the detention of its multinational crew, was described as a gross violation of the freedom of navigation and a serious infringement on the rights of the shipowner.

The Russian Foreign Ministry warned that the lives and health of the crew, including Russian citizens and nationals of other countries, were now at risk.

Moscow also condemned threats of legal action by U.S. authorities against the crew, calling them “utterly unacceptable” and legally absurd.

Of particular concern, the ministry said, was the reckless nature of the armed interception, which took place in severe weather conditions, raising the risk of a maritime disaster and significant environmental damage to the North Atlantic.

The Foreign Ministry dismissed U.S. references to its domestic sanctions legislation as having no standing under international law, stressing that unilateral sanctions imposed by Washington and its allies are illegitimate and cannot justify the seizure of civilian vessels on the high seas.

In a sharp rebuke, Moscow also condemned remarks by some U.S. officials suggesting that the seizure of the Marinera was part of a broader strategy to assert control over Venezuela’s natural resources, describing such statements as “profoundly cynical” and reflective of neo-colonial ambitions that Russia categorically rejects.

Russia warned that the incident reflects Washington’s growing disregard for established maritime norms and its willingness to provoke acute international crises, including further deterioration in already strained Russian-American relations.

The ministry cautioned that the Marinera episode could lower the global threshold for the use of force against civilian shipping, setting a dangerous precedent.

Moscow also accused the United Kingdom of playing a role in the operation, noting that British authorities had openly acknowledged involvement, and pointedly referenced Britain’s historical record of maritime predation as a troubling signal of broader Western coordination.

The Foreign Ministry concluded by calling on the United States to immediately cease all unlawful actions against the Marinera and other civilian vessels operating legally on the high seas.

It demanded that Washington ensure humane treatment of the crew, fully respect their rights, and facilitate the swift return of Russian citizens to their homeland.

“The United States must return to the universally accepted norms and principles of international maritime law,” the statement said, warning that continued defiance risks destabilising the Euro-Atlantic region and undermining the foundations of global maritime security.

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