By Admin 
An oil tanker belonging to Venezuela had escaped by dodging the US Coast Guard. To catch it, America was running an operation in the Atlantic Ocean for the last two weeks. Meanwhile, the US Army said that they have seized the Russian flagged oil tanker. Russia had its own submarine to save it. The name of the tanker captured by America is Bela-1.
Russian warship near the seized tanker
According to the report of news agency Associated Press, a Russian submarine and warship were also seen in the North Atlantic Ocean where the US Army seized this tanker. “Bella 1 was seized due to sanctions violation,” US European Command posted on Twitter. This was a joint operation between the Department of Homeland Security and US military personnel. The US had been following the tanker since last month when it tried to avoid the US blockade around Venezuela.
The US Coast Guard tried to stop this tanker for the first time last month, but it refused to board the ship. According to Reuters report, since then it has been registered under the Russian flag. Apart from this, the US Coast Guard also stopped another tanker belonging to Venezuela in Latin American waters.
American Home Department released video
The US Department of Homeland Security has shared the video of this operation on Twitter. US Home Department Secretary Kristi Noem said, the US Coast Guard team has seized two shadow fleet tankers Bella-1 and Sophia. Motor tanker Bela-1 was trying to escape from the Coast Guard for several weeks. During the chase, he also changed his flag and wrote a new name on the ship. Crew members of the USCGC Monroe pursued the ship through dangerous storms and at sea.
In two predawn operations today, the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back meticulously coordinated boarding of two “ghost fleet” tanker ships—one in the North Atlantic Sea and one in international waters near the Caribbean. Both vessels —the Motor Tanker Bella I and the Motor… pic.twitter.com/EZlHEtcufX
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 7, 2026
Is this really a Russian tanker?
The US Coast Guard tried to seize a tanker named Bella-1 near Venezuela last month, but the ship turned and ran away, due to which US forces could not board it. The US then continued to pursue the ship as it moved north-east and American P-8 surveillance aircraft from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England were deployed to monitor the tanker.
Russia warned US last month
During this time, the crew of the tanker made a Russian flag on it and claimed that the ship was running under Russian protection. Shortly thereafter, this tanker was registered in the official ship register of Russia under a new name ‘Marinera’. Last month, Russia had said that America should stop chasing that ship. This tanker was banned by the US in 2024 for operating within the ‘Shadow Fleet’ of tankers transporting illegal oil.
Britain said it would not comment against the US operation related to the Marinera oil tanker belonging to Venezuela. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s official spokesman said, ‘We do not comment on the operational activities of other countries. This has been the long-standing stance of the British government.