The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused the United States of “unlawful actions” after US forces seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera in international waters. Moscow said the seizure violated international maritime law and risked further escalation in already tense relations between Russia and the United States.In an official statement released on Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on Washington to respect the established principles of international maritime law and immediately stop measures against the Marinera and other civilian vessels operating on the high seas. This came after US forces seized the tanker on January 7th.The statement said: “In addition to the US government’s disregard for the accepted norms of international shipping, Washington’s willingness to provoke acute international crises, including in already highly strained Russian-American relations, is regrettable and alarming.”According to the ministry, the incident with the Marinera could lead to a further escalation of military and political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region and lower the inhibition threshold for the use of force against civilian shipping.“The Marinera incident can only lead to a further escalation of military-political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region and a dangerous lowering of the threshold for the use of force against civilian vessels. Emboldened by Washington’s irresponsible example, other actors may feel emboldened to take similar actions.”The ministry also accused the United Kingdom of involvement, claiming that British authorities openly acknowledged their role in the US military operation in the waters of the North Atlantic.Russia claimed that the Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, was temporarily approved to sail under the Russian flag on December 24 in accordance with Russian and international law. The ship was traveling peacefully through international waters in the North Atlantic on its way to a Russian port, it said.The ministry emphasized that the US authorities had been repeatedly informed about the legal status and civilian nature of the tanker. “There could be no doubt about this fact and there was no basis for the claim that the tanker was sailing ‘without a flag’ or ‘under a false flag’,” the statement said.Citing international maritime law, Russia argued that only the flag state has jurisdiction over its ships on the high seas. “International maritime law expressly grants the flag state exclusive jurisdiction over its ships on the high seas. Stopping and inspecting a ship in international waters is permitted only in narrowly defined circumstances, such as suspected piracy or slave trading – neither of which apply to the Marinera. In all other cases, such actions require the consent of the flag state, in this case Russia,” the statement continued.The ministry added that Russia has refused consent and has formally protested to US authorities in recent weeks against the continued pursuit of the ship by a US Coast Guard vessel.Under these circumstances, the department said, “the boarding and virtual seizure of a civilian vessel on the high seas by U.S. military personnel and the detention of its crew can only be considered a gross violation of fundamental principles and norms of international maritime law and freedom of navigation.”Russia also expressed concerns about the safety of the crew, which includes citizens of several countries, and warned of environmental risks due to the seizure in extreme weather conditions.The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected U.S. references to domestic sanctions laws, saying the unilateral sanctions imposed by Washington and its allies had no legal basis in international law and could not justify the seizure of ships on the high seas.“Allegations by some US officials that the seizure of the Marinera is part of a broader strategy to establish Washington’s unfettered control over Venezuela’s natural resources are deeply cynical. We categorically reject such neo-colonial ambitions,” the statement continued.In a post on the social media platform We reiterate our demand that the United States ensure appropriate treatment of Russian citizens on board.”
The Ministry of Transport also condemns the confiscation
Russia’s Transport Ministry said on Wednesday the US had no legal right to use force against a ship legally registered under the jurisdiction of another country.In a statement published on Telegram, the ministry said the Marinera was boarded by US naval forces in international waters, after which contact with the ship was lost.“Under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation applies in the high seas and no state has the right to use force against ships duly registered in the jurisdiction of other states,” the statement said.
How could the US seize the tanker?
The seizure followed a weeks-long pursuit by the U.S. Coast Guard. The tanker, originally named Bella 1, was sanctioned by the US in 2024 for operating as part of a so-called “shadow fleet” that transported illegal oil with links to Iran and Venezuela.Last month, U.S. authorities attempted to seize the ship as it was en route to Venezuela under the flag of Guyana. The crew refused to board and abruptly changed course towards the Atlantic. The ship was later renamed Marinera and re-registered under the Russian flag.According to US officials, military assets were shifted to Britain in advance of the operation. The tanker was eventually seized about 190 miles south of Iceland in the North Atlantic.The U.S. European Command said the operation was carried out under a federal court order for violations of U.S. sanctions and with the assistance of several U.S. agencies. British defense officials confirmed they had assisted the US in response to a request for help.
