'No State Has Right to Use Force Against Vessels Duly Registered...': Russia Slams US Over Seizure of Oil Tanker

Moscow: Following the seizure of the Russian-flagged oil tanker by US military forces earlier on Wednesday, Moscow issued a strong condemnation of Washington, asserting that no country has the right to use force against vessels lawfully registered under another state's jurisdiction, particularly on the high seas.

In a statement issued on Telegram, Russia's Ministry of Transport said that the tanker Marinera, originally named Bella 1, had received a temporary permit to sail under the Russian Federation flag on December 24, 2025, in accordance with Russian and international law.

The statement noted that the vessel was boarded by US Naval forces outside their territorial waters, following which contact with the vessel was lost.

Citing the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Russian ministry emphasised that freedom of navigation applies in international waters and that no state is authorised to employ force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdiction of another country.

"On December 24, 2025, the Marinera received a temporary permit to sail under the Russian Federation flag, issued in accordance with Russian law and international law. Today, at approximately 3:00 PM Moscow time, the vessel was boarded by US Navy forces in the high seas outside the territorial waters of any state, and contact with the vessel was lost", the statement read.

"In accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation applies in high seas waters, and no state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states," the Ministry of Transport added.

The strong condemnation by the Russian Federation comes moments after the US European Command stated that it had seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker, M/V Bella 1, in the North Atlantic Ocean after weeks of pursuit by the US Coast Guard warship after it evaded a US blockade of sanctioned oil tankers near Venezuela for over a fortnight.

According to the X post by the command, the tanker violated US sanctions and was tracked by the US Coast Guard cutter Munro before the operation.
The command noted that the vessel was seized under a warrant issued by a US federal court.

"The Justice Dept & DHS, in coordination with the Dept of War, today announced the seizure of the M/V Bella 1 for violations of US sanctions. The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a US federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro", the post read.

"This seizure supports the President's proclamation targeting sanctioned vessels that threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere," the post further read.

The operation was conducted by DHS components with support from the Department of War, underscoring a "whole-of-government approach" to protecting US interests and national security.

Originally named Bella 1, the tanker was sanctioned in 2024 and renamed Marinera.

The oil tanker recently became the focus of a face-off between the US and Russia, with Russia also sending naval assets, including a submarine, to bring it back, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

As per the WSJ report, Bella 1 has been trying to evade the US blockade of sanctioned oil tankers near Venezuela for over a fortnight. 

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