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The United States Navy has seized two tankers, one of which is Russian-flagged, linked to Venezuelan oil in the North Atlantic.
The head of US national security says the US Coast Guard boarded two "ghost fleet" ships.
Earlier, several military aircraft were spotted approaching the Marinera ship in the North Atlantic. Footage released by Russian media also shows a helicopter near the ship.
The Marinera, formerly known as "Bela 1", had a previously issued seizure order on suspicion of violating US sanctions for transporting Iranian oil.
Given this situation, 'Bela 1' changed its name and was re-registered as a Russian ship.
She was previously registered under the flag of Guyana.
The ships were seized on suspicion of violating US sanctions and transporting Iranian oil, although they have historically transported Venezuelan crude oil.
Previous reports said Russia had sent a submarine and other ships to escort the tanker across the Atlantic.
The Russian Transport Ministry says that "no state has the right to use force against ships duly registered in the jurisdictions of other countries."
The response states that US forces boarded the Marinera ship at around 3:00 PM Moscow time, and then communications with the ship were lost.
On December 24, the Marinera received a "temporary permit" to sail under the Russian flag, the Ministry adds.
Meanwhile, according to American officials, the US Coast Guard seized two "ghost fleet" tankers in a "carefully coordinated" operation.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said one ship was in the North Atlantic Sea, while the other was in international waters near the Caribbean. The operations took place within hours of each other, she added.
The Marinera and Sophia, "were either last docked in Venezuela or were en route to it," Noem adds.
According to the senior US official, the Marinera has been trying to "evade the Coast Guard for weeks."
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, in a post on X, says that "the blockade of sanctioned and illegal Venezuelan oil remains in full effect everywhere in the world."
The US Southern Command, in a statement, said the ship, a "stateless and sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker," was captured in a pre-dawn operation.
"The detained vessel, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and was conducting illegal activities in the Caribbean Sea. The US Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the US," the military statement said. /Adapted from BBC /
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