US forces have boarded and seized another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, the US military said on Friday, as the Trump administration continues its campaign against vessels accused of violating sanctions linked to Venezuela.
According to US Southern Command, the pre-dawn operation was carried out by US Marines and the Navy as part of a months-long military buildup in the Caribbean. Announcing the seizure of the tanker Olina, the command said criminal networks would not find refuge in the region. Navy officials did not immediately confirm whether the US Coast Guard was involved, as it has been in earlier operations.
The Olina is the fifth tanker seized by US forces under a wider effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to regulate the global movement of Venezuelan oil products. The campaign intensified after the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime operation.
Russia condemns oil tanker seizures
Earlier on Friday, Russia strongly criticised the seizure of a separate Russian-flagged oil tanker, warning that it could worsen relations between Moscow and Washington and potentially affect broader geopolitical issues, including Trump’s attempts to persuade Russia to end its nearly 4 year long war in Ukraine.
Commenting on the seizure of the tanker in the North Atlantic on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the action risked escalating military and political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region and lowered the threshold for the use of force against civilian shipping. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not publicly commented on the tanker seizure and has also remained silent on the US capture of Maduro, although Russian diplomats have condemned that action as an act of aggression.
Despite avoiding direct criticism of Trump, the Kremlin now faces a new challenge following the US military action. Hardline commentators in Moscow have criticised the Russian government for its lack of an immediate response and have argued that Russia should deploy naval forces to protect ships operating in what is often described as the shadow fleet.
US raises tensions with Russia, allies
Ukraine's Western allies have long pledged to tighten sanctions on these tankers, which Russia uses to export oil. Analysts in Moscow have warned that the US seizures could encourage other countries to take similar action.
Daniel Fried, a former US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, said Russia had limited options in responding. He said Moscow often reacts loudly when it is publicly embarrassed and suggested the incident exposed the gap between Russia’s claimed power and its actual ability to respond, noting that it was unable to intervene to protect the ship.
US European Command said the merchant vessel Bella 1 was seized on Wednesday for breaching US sanctions. Officials said the ship was renamed Marinera and re-flagged to Russia after attempting to evade a blockade on sanctioned oil vessels near Venezuela last month.
The Trump administration has imposed a strict oil embargo on Venezuela. The US Energy Department has said that oil movements into and out of the country will only be permitted through channels approved under US law and aligned with national security interests.
The Russian Foreign Ministry rejected the US justification for the seizure, saying Washington’s actions reflected what it described as cynical and neo-colonial ambitions to control Venezuela’s oil resources. It called the seizure a serious violation of international maritime law and said the tanker had received authorisation to sail under the Russian flag in December. The ministry also condemned US threats to prosecute the crew, calling them unacceptable, and insisted that unilateral sanctions imposed by the US and its allies were illegitimate and could not justify seizing vessels on the high seas.
Also read: Ayatollah Khamenei warns 'arrogant' Trump, slams protesters for 'ruining' own country
