Overview
- U.S. naval forces boarded and seized the tanker Marinera on the high seas near Iceland on January 7.
- Russia’s Transport Ministry says the ship, formerly Bella-1, had a temporary permit to sail under the Russian flag issued on December 24, 2025.
- Moscow argues the boarding violates the 1982 U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea and formally protests the use of force against a properly flagged vessel.
- Russia’s Foreign Ministry demands humane treatment and a rapid return of the crew, which reportedly includes Russian citizens.
- U.S. authorities say the action targets a shadow fleet moving sanctioned oil and note a separate tanker interception in the Caribbean the same day.