BBC News Wrote:6 January 2026
Russia has deployed navy assets to escort an oil tanker also being pursued by US forces across the Atlantic, CBS News, BBC's media partner in the US, reported.
The ship, which currently isn't carrying anything, historically has transported Venezuelan crude oil and was thought to be between Scotland and Iceland on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump said last month that he was ordering a "blockade" of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, a move the government there described as "theft".
...
The US Coast Guard tried to board the Bella 1 last month in the Caribbean when it was believed to be heading towards Venezuela. It had a warrant to seize the ship, which was accused of breaking US sanctions and shipping Iranian oil.
It then dramatically changed course - as well as its name to Marinera - reportedly reflagging from a Guyanese to a Russian vessel.
.....
Under international law, vessels flying a country's flag are under the protection of that nation but Dimitris Ampatzidis, senior risk and compliance analyst at maritime intelligence firm Kpler, told BBC Verify changing the ship's name and flag might not change much.
"US action is driven by the vessel's underlying identity [IMO number], ownership/control networks, and sanctions history, not by its painted markings or flag claim," he said.
...
[Russia..]
"At present, our vessel is sailing in the international waters of the North Atlantic under the state flag of the Russian Federation and in full compliance with the norms of international maritime law," Russia's foreign ministry said.
"For reasons unclear to us, the Russian ship is being given increased and clearly disproportionate attention by the US and Nato military, despite its peaceful status," it said.
"We expect that Western countries, which declare their commitment to freedom of navigation on the high seas, will begin adhering to this principle themselves."

Quote:Russia has reportedly deployed a submarine and other vessels to escort an oil tanker - which is also being pursued by US forces - across the Atlantic.

(Jan 7, 2026 04:14 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: Fail to see how a puny empty tanker means so much.  By the looks of the photo in a previous post then it might be deemed unseaworthy and a navigational risk to other vessels. This is like the USS Gerald Ford chasing down a Newfoundland trawler that’s not having any fishing luck. Maybe it’s a training exercise for Greenland or Canada invasion.

US has Maduro so just hold him for ransom. Have Venezuela fill that boat with drug money, help pay off the national debt, seize Maduro’s assets and drop him off at Los Monjes so the Colombians can leverage him to claim the disputed island’s ownership. That’s as long as Venezuelans want him back.

• Being evasive
  
• Changing the name mid-journey.
  
• Changing the flag mid-journey.
  
• Undermining it's insurance (which is needed or it can be seized just for that.)
  
• Turning off it's navigation transponder (puts it at risk of being hit by other vessels etc)
  

(Jan 7, 2026 04:14 PM)Zinjanthropos Wrote: US has Maduro so just hold him for ransom. Have Venezuela fill that boat with drug money, help pay off the national debt, seize Maduro’s assets and drop him off at Los Monjes so the Colombians can leverage him to claim the disputed island’s ownership. That’s as long as Venezuelans want him back.