Moscow/Washington, Jan 7, 2026 — Russia has deployed naval vessels to escort an oil tanker in the Atlantic Ocean amid increased US military and coast guard activity, raising the risk of a direct encounter between the two powers, according to a report by US broadcaster CBS.
The move follows an earlier attempt by the US Coast Guard to intercept a vessel named Bella 1 in the Caribbean Sea. Washington alleged that the ship was transporting Iranian oil in violation of US sanctions. The tanker later changed course and reportedly renamed itself Marinera.
Although the vessel is currently believed to be empty, it had previously been used to carry Venezuelan crude oil. On Tuesday (Jan 6), it was reported to be sailing in waters between Scotland and Iceland, an area of growing strategic sensitivity.
The incident comes as US President Donald Trump recently announced a blockade aimed at preventing the movement of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, reinforcing Washington’s hardline stance on energy exports from countries under US sanctions.
CBS reported that during the tanker’s transit toward Europe, nearly 10 US military transport aircraft and helicopters were operating in the same region. Russia said it was closely monitoring the situation and expressed concern over what it described as escalating pressure from the United States.
Two US officials told CBS that Washington intends to seize the vessel rather than sink it. The US Southern Command said on social media that it is prepared to take action against sanctioned vessels and entities involved in sanctions violations.
In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry said the tanker was sailing under the Russian flag in international waters in full compliance with international maritime law, accusing the United States and NATO of giving the situation disproportionate attention. The ministry added that if Western countries truly support freedom of navigation, they should demonstrate it in practice.
