Russia has deployed naval assets to escort an oil tanker that is also being pursued by US forces in the Atlantic Ocean, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US media partner.
The vessel, which is not currently carrying any cargo, has previously been used to transport Venezuelan crude oil. On Tuesday, it was believed to be sailing between Scotland and Iceland.
Last month, US President Donald Trump announced that he was ordering a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, a move the Venezuelan government described as “theft.”
In the days leading up to the seizure of the country’s former leader Nicolás Maduro in Caracas on Saturday, Trump repeatedly accused Venezuela’s government of using ships to transport drugs into the United States.
The US Coast Guard attempted to board the tanker, then known as Bella 1, in the Caribbean last month when it was believed to be heading toward Venezuela. US authorities had a warrant to seize the vessel, accusing it of violating US sanctions and transporting Iranian oil.
The tanker subsequently made a sharp change in course, renamed itself Marinera, and reportedly reflagged from Guyana to Russia.
Its approach toward Europe coincided with the arrival of approximately ten US military transport aircraft and several helicopters in the region, further intensifying attention on the situation.
Russian officials stated that they are “monitoring the situation around the vessel with concern.”
Two US officials told CBS News on Tuesday that American forces were planning to board the ship, noting that Washington would prefer to seize the tanker rather than sink it.
On the same day, the US military’s Southern Command posted on social media that it “remains ready to support our US government agency partners in standing against sanctioned vessels and actors transiting through this region.”
The statement added that US naval forces are “vigilant, agile, and postured to track vessels of interest” and prepared to act when directed.
According to available information, Marinera was located between Scotland and Iceland overnight Tuesday, with distance and adverse weather conditions making any boarding operation particularly challenging.
Should any US military operation be launched from the United Kingdom, Washington would be expected to notify its ally in advance.
The UK Ministry of Defence has said it will not comment on the military activities of other nations.
US officials cited by CBS News suggested that Washington could carry out an operation similar to one conducted last month, when US Marines and special operations forces, working with the Coast Guard, seized the large crude oil tanker The Skipper after it departed a Venezuelan port under the Guyanese flag.
Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracking data for the tanker—data that can be spoofed or manipulated—indicates that the vessel was in the North Atlantic approximately 2,000 kilometers west of continental Europe on Tuesday.
Under international law, vessels sailing under a national flag are protected by that state. However, Dimitris Ampatzidis, a senior risk and compliance analyst at maritime intelligence firm Kpler, noted that changing a ship’s name or flag may have limited impact.
He explained that US enforcement actions are driven by “the vessel’s underlying identity, including its IMO number, ownership and control networks, and sanctions history,” rather than painted markings or declared flag status.
Ampatzidis added that re-registering under the Russian flag could lead to “diplomatic friction” but would not necessarily prevent US enforcement measures.
Russia’s foreign ministry stated that the vessel “is currently sailing in international waters of the North Atlantic under the state flag of the Russian Federation and in full compliance with international maritime law.”
The ministry also said that, despite the ship’s peaceful status, it is receiving “increased and clearly disproportionate attention” from US and NATO forces.
“We expect that Western countries, which declare their commitment to freedom of navigation on the high seas, will begin adhering to this principle in practice,” the statement added.
The potential standoff over the oil tanker comes just days after the US shocked the world with the seizure of Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. During the operation, US forces struck targets in the city to extract him and his wife on allegations related to weapons and drug offenses.