Capture of the US of the Russian tanker "Marinera": what is known at this hour
Photo Reuters. The U.S. Coast Guard monitors the tanker "Marinera"
The operation to capture the tanker was carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard.
On January 7, according to available information, a U.S. landing party boarded the tanker Marinera, despite the presence of Russian military vessels and a submarine nearby.
The tanker is registered under the name Marinera in the Russian ship registry, according to data from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), since late December. Previously, it sailed under a false flag of Guyana from November 2024 to December 2025, known as Bella 1, and before that it was registered under the flags of Panama, Palau, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands. The re-registration under the Russian flag occurred without entering a port.
Previously, the tanker belonged to Louis Marine Shipholding Enterprises, registered in Turkey. In 2024, it was sanctioned by the U.S. due to allegations of transporting Iranian oil.
Since late December, the vessel has become the property of the Russian company "Burevestmarin," located in the Ryazan region.
In turn, the U.S. European Command confirmed that the capture of the tanker Marinera occurred due to violations of sanctions measures.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth noted that the detention is related to blocking the transportation of Venezuelan oil.
British forces also participated in the operation to capture the tanker, as confirmed by the Ministry of Defense of that country.
The Russian Ministry of Transport reported that the tanker Marinera received temporary permission to use the Russian flag.
The Russian side demands that the U.S. respect the rights of Russian citizens on board the tanker Marinera, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Additionally, in the Caribbean Sea, U.S. military forces captured the tanker Sophia, as reported by the U.S. Southern Command.
The crew of the tanker "Marinera" may face criminal liability in the U.S., as stated by the White House.
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