The United States announced on Wednesday that it has detained a Russian oil tanker in the North Atlantic as part of broader efforts targeting vessels linked to sanctions evasion and illicit oil trade routes. The move comes amid heightened maritime tensions involving enforcement actions against tankers associated with Venezuela.
US European Command said in a statement posted on X that the tanker, identified as Bella 1, was detained following coordination between the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, with support from the Department of Defense. According to the statement, the vessel was seized for violating U.S. sanctions.
American and Russian media outlets reported that U.S. forces carried out an operation to take control of the tanker after Moscow reportedly dispatched naval vessels to escort it. Coverage by Fox News, CNN, and Russia Today said the interception followed intelligence indicating that Russian warships had been sent to accompany the tanker as it transited the Atlantic.
The tanker, previously operating under the same name, was sanctioned by the United States in 2024 for allegedly being part of a so-called “shadow fleet” used to transport oil in violation of international restrictions, according to Washington. U.S. authorities say such fleets are used to conceal ownership, bypass monitoring systems, and move oil outside regulated markets.
Last month, the U.S. Coast Guard attempted to board the tanker when it was near Venezuelan waters but failed after the vessel maneuvered away and escaped. The latest operation marks the first successful detention of the ship following that earlier attempt.
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