There is no word yet from President Vladimir Putin, a day after the United States took custody of a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela after weeks of pursuit across the Atlantic Ocean.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the Ministry’s spokesperson Maria Zakharova, who routinely convey Putin’s stance on developments, have not issued an official reaction.
The only response out of Russia was from the Transport Ministry, which declared that “no state has the right to use force against vessels that are properly registered in the jurisdictions of other nations.”
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has explained its role in the seizure of Bella 1, which its government said was falsely flagged after being subject to U.S. counter-Iran sanctions.
Defence Minister John Healey told the House of Commons that at America’s request, the UK supported the operation as part of global efforts to crack down on shadow shipping activity.
Healey said the vessel refused to comply with the U.S. warning after its sanctions went into effect in December, causing U.S. Coast Guard Vessel Munroe to pursue it over the high seas.
Noting that the “stateless vessel” had a long history of nefarious activity and shared links with Iran and Russia, Healey added: “This was a US operation; No UK personnel took part in the boarding.”
The minister confirmed authorising the use of UK bases and the deployment of Royal Navy and RAF assets to support the mission, including airborne surveillance and RFA Tideforce.
On Wednesday, the US European Command announced that the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of War seized Bella 1 for violating sanctions.
The action, pursuant to a U.S. federal court warrant, was premised on President Donald Trump’s proclamation on “sanctioned vessels that threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere.”
The operation carried out by the Coast Guard and the U.S. military followed the arrest of President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, on January 3. Both are standing trial in New York.
In December, the U.S. seized two oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela as part of its blockade of sanctioned oil shipments to and from the South American country.
Before the latest seizure, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the ship had been under U.S. surveillance despite sailing 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles) away from the U.S. coastline.
Bella 1 was renamed Marinera after Russia which condemned the incursion in Venezuela and Maduro’s capture claimed ownership and dispatched a submarine and a warship to escort it.
Moscow maintained that the vessel was navigating international waters of the North Atlantic under the Russian flag “in full compliance with international maritime law.”
Russia further declared that the “heightened attention” the tanker was receiving from American and NATO forces was “clearly disproportionate to its peaceful status.”
Putin silent on US seized Russian-flagged tanker as UK reveals role
