Russian Lawmaker Warns US of Military Consequences After Seizure of Russian-Flagged Tanker

A senior Russian lawmaker has issued a sharp warning to the United States following the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker by US forces in the North Atlantic, raising the prospect of military confrontation if Washington continues what Moscow views as unlawful actions on the high seas.

Alexei Zhuravlev, a member of the Russian parliament, reacted strongly to the boarding of the tanker Marinera—formerly known as Bella 1—accusing the United States of acting with a sense of impunity. In remarks that drew wide attention, Zhuravlev suggested that only forceful retaliation could deter Washington, even alluding to attacks on US Coast Guard vessels.

Zhuravlev claimed the United States was emboldened by what he described as its recent “special operation” in Venezuela and warned that such confidence could provoke a dangerous escalation. While his comments stopped short of representing official Kremlin policy, they reflected the increasingly hardline rhetoric emerging from some Russian lawmakers.

The remarks came hours after US military forces, operating in coordination with the Coast Guard, seized the Marinera in international waters north of Scotland. The operation was carried out under a warrant issued by a US federal court. US authorities allege that the vessel was part of a network used to transport sanctioned oil linked to Venezuela and Iran.

Earlier the same day, the US Coast Guard also intercepted another tanker, the Panama-flagged M Sophia, carrying Venezuelan oil near the northeast coast of South America. US officials said this marked the fourth such seizure in recent weeks. Shipping records indicate that the vessel was fully laden with crude oil supplied by Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PDVSA.

In Moscow, the seizure of the Marinera has been condemned as a violation of international law and Russian sovereignty. Russian officials maintain that the tanker was legally registered under the Russian flag and was operating in compliance with international regulations. The Russian Ministry of Transport said the vessel had received a temporary permit to sail under the Russian Federation flag on December 24, 2025.

According to Russian authorities, the tanker was boarded by US naval forces on the high seas, outside the territorial waters of any state, after which communication with the vessel was lost. Moscow has repeatedly cited the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation in international waters and limits the use of force against foreign-flagged vessels.

The incident has further strained relations between Moscow and Washington, particularly amid reports that Russian naval assets, including a submarine, were operating in the area at the time of the seizure. Although the Kremlin has not formally endorsed Zhuravlev’s call for retaliation, his remarks underscore the rising tensions and increasingly confrontational tone surrounding sanctions enforcement and maritime security.

Russia has accused the United States of using sanctions as a pretext for unilateral military actions on the high seas, a charge Washington has consistently rejected.