Alexei Zhuravlev, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defence in Russia and a senior member of Russia’s parliament, known as the January 7 interdiction of the tanker Marinera–formerly the Bella 1–by US forces “outright piracy” and equated it to an assault on Russian territory for the reason that vessel was flying the Russian flag.
In a forceful assertion on Telegram, Zhuravlev mentioned Moscow ought to “reply militarily”, advocating that Russia “assault with torpedoes [and] sink a few American Coast Guard boats” concerned within the operation, arguing such motion was the one method to “cease the US”, which he accused of performing with impunity following latest operations in Venezuela.
He additionally referenced Russia’s army doctrine, asserting it “envisages using nuclear weapons” in response to assaults on nationwide pursuits.
“That is the commonest type of piracy–the seizure of a civilian vessel by an armed American fleet. It is basically the identical as an assault on Russian territory, for the reason that tanker was crusing below our nationwide flag. This should undoubtedly be responded to harshly and swiftly–our army doctrine even permits for using nuclear weapons in response to such a scenario,” the Russian MP mentioned.
“Furthermore, in response to obtainable info, a Russian submarine and another Russian warships had been additionally someplace close to the vessel. Attacking with torpedoes, sinking a few American Coast Guard cutters–they’re completely able to guarding their shores a number of thousand kilometers away–I feel the one method to cease the US, which is having fun with a type of euphoria of impunity after the particular operation in Venezuela, is with a slap on the nostril like this,” he added.
The assertion by the Russian MP could be thought of a pointy escalation, given each international locations’ nuclear arsenals.On Wednesday, US army forces seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker within the North Atlantic Ocean after weeks of pursuit by the US Coast Guard warship, after it evaded a US blockade of sanctioned oil tankers close to Venezuela for over a fortnight.
Following the seizure, Moscow issued a powerful condemnation asserting that no nation has the best to make use of pressure towards vessels lawfully registered below one other state’s jurisdiction, significantly on the excessive seas.
In a Telegram assertion, Russia’s Ministry of Transport mentioned the tanker Marinera, initially named Bella 1, obtained a short lived allow to sail below the Russian Federation flag on December 24, 2025, in accordance with Russian and worldwide legislation.
The assertion famous that the vessel was boarded by US Naval forces outdoors their territorial waters, following which contact with the vessel was misplaced.
“On December 24, 2025, the Marinera obtained a short lived allow to sail below the Russian Federation flag, issued in accordance with Russian legislation and worldwide legislation. In the present day, at roughly 3:00 PM Moscow time, the vessel was boarded by US Navy forces within the excessive seas outdoors the territorial waters of any state, and get in touch with with the vessel was misplaced,” the assertion learn.
“In accordance with the 1982 UN Conference on the Legislation of the Sea, freedom of navigation applies in excessive seas waters, and no state has the best to make use of pressure towards vessels duly registered within the jurisdictions of different states,” the Ministry of Transport added.
In keeping with a publish on X by the US European Command, the tanker violated US sanctions and was tracked by the US Coast Guard cutter Munro earlier than the operation.
The command famous that the vessel was seized below a warrant issued by a US federal court docket.
Initially named Bella 1, the tanker was sanctioned in 2024 and renamed Marinera.
The oil tanker lately turned the main focus of a face-off between the US and Russia, with Russia additionally sending naval property, together with a submarine, to carry it again, in response to a Wall Road Journal report.
