Russia harshly condemns US seizure of oil tanker, warns of a spike in tensions

Russia strongly condemned the U.S. seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker on Thursday, signaling a potential escalation in Moscow-Washington relations that could complicate President Donald Trump’s efforts to negotiate an end to Russia’s nearly four-year war in Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the capture of the tanker in the North Atlantic “can only lead to a further escalation of military and political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region, as well as a visible lowering of the ‘threshold for the use of force’ against peaceful shipping.”

President Vladimir Putin has not publicly commented on the tanker seizure, nor has he weighed in on the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, which Russian diplomats have criticized as an act of aggression. While Putin has avoided direct criticism of Trump, the incident presents a new challenge for the Kremlin.

In Moscow, hawkish commentators have criticized the government for failing to respond quickly, suggesting that Russia should deploy naval assets to protect its so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers.

Western nations, including the U.S., have long sought to tighten sanctions on these shadow fleet tankers used to transport Russian oil. Analysts in Moscow warned that the U.S. action could set a precedent for other countries.

Daniel Fried, a former U.S. assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, noted that Russia’s options for responding are limited. “The Russians tend to scream and yell when they’ve been embarrassed, and they’ve been embarrassed in this case because Russian power is not what Vladimir Putin makes it out to be,” he said. “They couldn’t do anything about this ship.”

The U.S. European Command said the merchant vessel Bella 1 was seized Wednesday for violating U.S. sanctions. The ship had attempted to evade a blockade on sanctioned oil vessels near Venezuela, was renamed Marinera, and reflagged to Russia. The Trump administration has enforced an oil embargo on Venezuela, with the Energy Department specifying that only U.S.-approved channels can transport Venezuelan oil.

Russia’s Response

Russia’s Foreign Ministry described the U.S. action as “an utterly cynical” attempt to assert control over Venezuela’s oil resources and a “gross violation” of international maritime law. It insisted the ship had a permit to sail under the Russian flag and called U.S. threats to prosecute the crew “categorically unacceptable.” The ministry also argued that unilateral U.S. and Western sanctions are “illegitimate” and cannot justify the seizure of vessels on the high seas.

Russian military bloggers voiced anger over the seizure, criticizing the Kremlin for not dispatching a warship to escort the tanker. Some proposed placing military contractors on shadow fleet ships to prevent future seizures. Alexander Kots, a military correspondent for Komsomolskaya Pravda, warned that a weak response could embolden the U.S. and other Western nations. “Facing a bully who feels all-powerful, we must slap him across the face,” he wrote.

Expert Analysis

Fried said Russia’s complaints about international law are weakened by its invasion of Ukraine. He also noted that the Russian claim to the tanker is tenuous, as it was issued a temporary permit to fly the Russian flag only last month. “If you talk about this legally, it’s a complicated issue. If you talk about this strategically, the Russians are badly overextended and vulnerable,” he said. “They are hanging on to a war in Ukraine that they are not winning … their economy is hurting.”

While Moscow could theoretically respond by targeting U.S. interests, Fried suggested Putin may avoid antagonizing Trump. “Putin has gotten further with Trump when he flatters him,” he said.

As tensions over the tanker mounted, Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, noted that Trump has “greenlit” a Russia sanctions bill intended to impose further economic pressure on Moscow.

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