London/Washington, January 9, 2026 – The United States military seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera (formerly known as Bella 1) in the North Atlantic on January 7, 2026, following a dramatic two-week pursuit across the Atlantic Ocean. The operation, which involved U.S. Coast Guard, Navy SEALs, and special operations aviation assets, has heightened tensions with Moscow and intensified the Trump administration's crackdown on vessels linked to sanctioned Venezuelan oil exports.
President Donald Trump, speaking publicly about the incident for the first time in a Fox News interview on January 8, claimed that Russian naval assets—a submarine and a destroyer—had been deployed to escort the tanker but "left very quickly when we arrived." "The Russian ships, it was a submarine and a destroyer, they both left very quickly when we arrived," Trump stated. "And we took over the ship, and the oil is being unloaded right now." U.S. intelligence sources confirmed that Russian vessels were detected in the vicinity during the boarding but withdrew abruptly upon the arrival of American forces.
The Marinera, part of the so-called "shadow fleet" of vessels accused of evading international sanctions on Iranian and Venezuelan oil, had changed its name, switched flags (including painting a Russian tricolor on its hull), and turned off transponders in an effort to avoid detection. The ship initially fled a U.S. blockade in the Caribbean in late December 2025 while en route to Venezuela, then headed toward Europe, prompting a transatlantic chase. The U.S. deemed the vessel "stateless" after the flag change and executed a judicial seizure warrant. The tanker was empty of oil at the time of capture, but U.S. officials indicated it was linked to illicit cargo transport.
The operation was conducted in coordination with the United Kingdom, which provided logistical support, air surveillance, and naval assets. U.K. Defence Secretary John Healey praised the "skill and professionalism" of British personnel involved. The seizure occurred in international waters between Iceland and Scotland, roughly 190 miles off Iceland's southern coast.
Russian authorities reacted angrily, with the Foreign Ministry condemning the action as a "gross violation" of international maritime law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Moscow claimed the vessel had been granted permission to fly the Russian flag. The Kremlin confirmed that two Russian crew members were released following an appeal to President Trump, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova expressing gratitude for the decision. The remaining crew faces potential prosecution in the U.S. for sanctions violations.
Senior Russian lawmaker Aleksey Zhuravlyov, a member of the defense committee, described the seizure as an act of aggression, accusing the U.S. of being emboldened after the earlier capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Ukrainian analysts speculated that the incident may have prompted Russia's launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile against Ukraine on the night of January 8–9, which struck energy infrastructure in Lviv near the Polish border. The Kremlin has not officially linked the events, but the timing fueled speculation of retaliation.
The Marinera is one of at least 40 shadow fleet vessels that reflagged to Russia in 2025 to seek Kremlin protection from seizure. Analysts note that such tactics, including false identities, AIS transponder deactivation ("dark mode"), and rapid flag changes, have become common to circumvent sanctions on oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.
Trump signaled that U.S. maritime enforcement would continue, stating the administration intends to seize illicit vessels "until the waters are safe." The White House described the operation as part of a broader effort to dismantle shadow fleets fueling sanctioned regimes.
The seizure follows heightened U.S.-Russia friction, including the U.S. raid that captured Maduro and threats of further action. Moscow has warned of escalation, while the U.S. maintains the actions comply with international law and sanctions regimes.
As the tanker is towed for unloading and inspection (likely in British or U.S. waters), the incident underscores the risks of shadow fleet operations and the potential for naval confrontations in contested maritime spaces.
