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Russia Deploys Submarine to Shield Sanctioned Shadow Fleet Tanker From US Coast Guard
Russia has dispatched a submarine to protect a sanctioned oil tanker from its “shadow fleet” as the vessel attempts to evade interception by the United States Coast Guard in the Atlantic Ocean—an unprecedented escalation in Washington’s global crackdown on illicit oil shipments, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal.
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The vessel at the center of the standoff—formerly known as Bella 1—failed to enter Venezuelan ports to load crude and is now sailing back toward Russia without cargo, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the situation on January 6.
Despite the tanker being empty, the United States Coast Guard has continued to shadow the ship as part of a broader campaign to identify and detain vessels linked to the illicit transport of sanctioned oil, including Russian, Iranian, and Venezuelan crude.
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US officials told reporters that in December, the tanker’s crew actively blocked an attempt by American forces to board the ship.
From Bella 1 to Marinera
After thwarting the boarding attempt, the tanker headed into open waters, hastily painted a Russian flag on its hull, re-registered under Russian jurisdiction, and adopted a new name: Marinera.
“Russia is concerned that the United States is detaining tankers that carry its smuggled oil around the world and feed its economy. In response, Moscow has taken the unprecedented step of allowing one of the tankers to register in Russia without inspection or other formalities,” WSJ wrote.
This makes a lot more sense now, the P-8s are hunting a submarine, not specifically the Marinera. https://t.co/rp6dpCbMyT
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 7, 2026
Three US officials previously confirmed that Moscow formally demanded Washington halt its pursuit of the vessel.
A high-stakes escort in the North Atlantic
According to AIS ship-tracking data, a US Coast Guard cutter continues to escort Marinera through the eastern Atlantic. The tanker is currently more than 400 kilometers south of Iceland and heading toward the Russian port of Murmansk.
OSINT analysts later confirmed that the pursuing vessel is a Legend-class National Security Cutter, the largest and most heavily armed ship type operated by the US Coast Guard.
American officials said the cutter has been tracking the tanker for more than 16 days, maintaining a distance of roughly 800 meters.
Boarding ready—White House decision pending
US military sources confirmed that special operations boarding teams are fully prepared to seize the Russian-flagged tanker by force, but are awaiting final political authorization from the White House.
Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, coast guards may board or detain vessels lacking verified nationality or suspected of operating under fraudulent registration.
NATO forces track shadow oil tanker Bella 1—now renamed Marinera—250 miles off Ireland coast. Vessel fled US Venezuela blockade, painted Russian flag on hull to claim Moscow protection.
— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar) January 6, 2026
US, UK, France, Ireland deploy surveillance aircraft. Russia filed diplomatic request to… pic.twitter.com/xqtovngeXZ
US officials have not ruled out the possibility that Russia retroactively manipulated the tanker’s registration—bypassing inspections—in an attempt to provoke a diplomatic crisis.
If the re-registration is deemed legally valid, a forced seizure could trigger a serious international confrontation.
A shadow fleet familiar pattern
Bella 1—now Marinera—is owned by a Turkish company and is under US sanctions for transporting Iranian oil on behalf of designated terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The vessel is also part of the so-called “shadow fleet,” a network of aging tankers used to bypass sanctions and move oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela through deceptive ownership, flag-hopping, and falsified documentation.
Why Legend-class Cutters matter
Legend-class cutters—officially National Security Cutters—are the most powerful ships in the US Coast Guard’s fleet. Designed for extended global deployments, they routinely support sanctions enforcement, counter-smuggling missions, and joint operations with the US Navy.
Each cutter displaces roughly 4,500 tons, measures over 127 meters in length, and is armed with a 57-mm naval gun, automatic cannons, and heavy machine guns. They also operate MH-60 helicopters and can remain at sea for up to 90 days without resupply.
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) January 7, 2026
The crew of the Iranian-linked sanctioned oil tanker Bella 1 have posted pictures of a U.S. Coast Guard cutter chasing the now Russian-flagged oil after it escaped off the Venezuelan coast.
The ship is now sailing between Scotland & Iceland, trying to reach Russia pic.twitter.com/JPVaxwhHFy
Their presence in this pursuit underscores how seriously Washington views Russia’s expanding shadow-fleet operations.
Earlier, a sanctioned Russian oil tanker attempting to deliver fuel to Venezuela was repeatedly forced to turn back after a US Navy destroyer positioned itself directly in its path.
