In a dramatic high-seas operation reminiscent of a thriller novel, US forces have seized a Russian-linked oil tanker in the North Atlantic, an action a former senior British Royal Air Force commander says has successfully called the Kremlin's bluff.
A Dramatic Atlantic Interception
US European Command confirmed that the vessel Marinera, formerly named the M/V Bella 1, was captured for violating American sanctions. The complex, two-week mission culminated today with the tanker being boarded in waters between Iceland and the United Kingdom. The operation was supported by RAF aircraft and a Royal Auxiliary Fleet tanker, Tide Force, which provided refuelling support.
According to former British Air Vice-Marshal Sean Bell, now a military analyst, the Trump administration's move represents a direct challenge to Russia's use of a 'shadow fleet' to evade international sanctions. "What's interesting is that the US is calling their bluff," Bell told Metro. "Saying you can't just suddenly paint a flag on the side of a ship and then protect it if it's moving sanctioned oil, we will intervene."
The Hunt for the 'Nefarious' Vessel
The Guyanese-flagged ship, which later switched to a Russian flag, had been pursued by US authorities across the Atlantic after it allegedly evaded a seizure attempt in the Caribbean last month. It was reportedly en route to Venezuela, part of what Bell described as a "Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion."
The pursuit was so intense it reportedly prompted the Kremlin to deploy a submarine in an attempt to escort the vessel to safety. Bell highlighted the operational difficulties, noting the ship's slow speed of 10 knots and the perilous task of landing helicopters on a non-cooperative vessel in the rolling Atlantic swell. "Landing is a team effort in a helicopter," he explained, detailing the dangers of using ropes to deploy personnel onto a pitching deck.
A Broader Crackdown on Sanctions Evasion
This seizure is part of a newly assertive American stance overseas. It occurred on the same day US forces captured a second 'ghost fleet' tanker, the M/T Sophia, near the Caribbean. These actions follow the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom the US accuses of harbouring 'narco-terrorists'.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the Royal Navy's support was part of "global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting." He condemned the ship's role in "fuelling terrorism, conflict, and misery from the Middle East to Ukraine." UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander emphasised that all actions were taken "in full compliance with international law," labelling the vessel as having a "pretty nefarious history."
In a bullish statement on social media, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared: "The blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT — anywhere in the world."
Moscow has accused Washington of violating international law, claiming the tanker was only temporarily flagged to Russia. However, Western officials view the successful operation as a significant blow against the opaque network of ships used to transport sanctioned commodities, signalling a willingness to enforce sanctions more aggressively on the global stage.
