Category: Latest news

US Releases Two Detained Russian Crew Members After Marinera Tanker Seizure in North Atlantic

Jan 09, 2026 13:20 Updated Jan 09, 2026 13:53

2 min read

Authors: Cyril Barabaltchouk
News Writer

A view of the Overseas Mulan tanker ship (later renamed the Bella 1 and Marinera) at sea just outside the port of Rotterdam on August 24, 2014 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Source: Getty Images)

Russia announced that the United States had decided to release two Russian crew members from a Russian-flagged oil tanker, the Venezuela-linked oil tanker Marinera, which was seized earlier this week in the North Atlantic, The Moscow Times wrote, citing Russian state media and officials on January 9.

The US authorities had detained the tanker as part of a crackdown on a shadow fleet allegedly transporting oil for sanctioned countries such as Venezuela, Russia, and Iran.

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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed that, following Moscow’s request, US President Donald Trump decided to release the two Russian nationals aboard the tanker. “We welcome this decision and express our gratitude to the US leadership,” Zakharova stated.

The Moscow Times cited the Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who has added on Telegram that Trump had agreed to release all Russian nationals aboard the Marinera. Despite this, US officials previously indicated that the crew could face prosecution, which Russia deemed “categorically unacceptable.”

Category: Latest news

Russian Official Threatens Military Retaliation, Including Nuclear Response, After US Seizes Oil Tankers

Jan 07, 2026 20:13

Moscow condemned the US action as an illegal seizure, accusing Washington of escalating tensions and threatening international shipping.

Russia’s foreign ministry warned that such actions would only exacerbate political and military tensions, criticizing the US for its approach to international crises.

Previously, it was reported that the crew of the Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, including several Russian nationals, was facing possible prosecution under US federal law after the vessel was seized by the United States in the North Atlantic, Sky News reported on January 7, citing White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

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