Moscow demands US ensure swift return of Russian crew from seized oil tanker

MOSCOW – 8 January 2026: Russia has sharply rejected the US seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, calling the move a violation of international maritime law, Reuters reported.

The Russian foreign ministry demanded that the United States ensure humane treatment of the Russian crew and their prompt return home, state news agency TASS reported.

Russian authorities said contact was lost with the vessel, the Marinera, after US naval forces boarded the ship near Iceland as part of Washington’s efforts to block oil shipments linked to Venezuela.

Moscow’s transport ministry cited the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, saying no state has the right to use force against vessels properly registered in other states.

A senior Russian lawmaker described the seizure as “outright piracy.”

The US pressure on Venezuela dramatically mounted after a January 3 operation in which US forces captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife and brought them to the United States to face narcotic-related charges.