The Russian Foreign Ministry is monitoring the situation with the Russian tanker Mariner, which is being pursued by the United States

Russia is monitoring the situation with the Mariner oil tanker, which is being pursued by the US and NATO militaries in the international waters of the North Atlantic. This was reported to Izvestia on January 5 by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"For several days now, the US Coast Guard ship has been following the Mariner, although our vessel is about 4 thousand km away from the American coast," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

The Ministry stressed that the tanker sails under the state flag of the Russian Federation and in full compliance with the norms of international maritime law. The diplomats expressed hope that Western countries would respect the principles of freedom of navigation on the high seas, which they themselves publicly declare.

Oil boarding: the United States seized a Venezuelan tanker

The conflict between Washington and Caracas is reaching a new level

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on January 4 that the United States would continue to seize oil tankers. He stressed that the United States is waging a war against drug traffickers, not against Venezuela as a state. Rubio also called the Cuban government a huge problem for the United States, but declined to disclose the administration's next steps regarding Havana.

Crew members of the Bella 1 oil tanker in the Caribbean on December 30, 2025, trying to escape from the ships of the US Coast Guard, painted the Russian flag on board their vessel. Crew members who refused to raise their national flag claimed their "Russian status."

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.