The United States has released two Russian nationals who were crew members aboard the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, which was seized by American forces, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
Moscow said the decision was taken by US President Donald Trump following a request from the Kremlin, and welcomed the move. “We welcome this decision and express our gratitude to the US leadership,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Marinera was intercepted earlier this week after US European Command announced its capture in international waters northwest of Scotland, following a pursuit that began in the Caribbean. The vessel, formerly known as Bella 1, was stopped over alleged breaches of US sanctions linked to the export of Venezuelan oil.
At the time of the seizure, the tanker had a crew of 28, including two Russians, 17 Ukrainians, three Georgians and three Indian nationals. US authorities had reportedly been monitoring the ship since late last year, when it attempted to approach Venezuela. During an earlier encounter, the captain refused a US Coast Guard request to board and diverted the vessel into the Atlantic.
As the chase continued, the crew renamed the ship and sought permission to sail under the Russian flag, which was temporarily granted by the Russian port of Sochi. Moscow has condemned the seizure, calling it a clear breach of international maritime law and warning it could escalate tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region by lowering the threshold for the use of force against civilian vessels.
The incident unfolded against the backdrop of sharply heightened US-Russia tensions, coming just days after American forces carried out a military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, who faces US drug trafficking charges.
Oh, so they didn’t have to walk the plank? Lucky for them…….