The White House has confirmed that the crew of the tanker Marinera, detained on charges of illegally transporting Venezuelan oil, will stand trial before a U.S. court. The vessel, accused of violating international sanctions, was crewed by Russian nationals. The Kremlin has formally demanded “humane treatment,” but extremely aggressive voices have already emerged in the State Duma. Lawmaker Alexei Zhuravlyov stated that a forceful response would be “normal.”
Washington has announced that the crew of the tanker Marinera will be brought before a court. According to information from the White House, the vessel was detained in connection with transporting oil from Venezuela, which constitutes a violation of U.S. sanctions. The situation has taken on particular tension due to the presence of Russian citizens among the crew.
Officially, Moscow responded by calling for respect for the rights of its citizens. The Russian Foreign Ministry demanded that the United States ensure “humane and dignified treatment of the Russians on board the vessel, as well as respect for their rights and interests,” the Kremlin said.
However, against the backdrop of diplomatic statements, far more confrontational positions have appeared. Alexei Zhuravlyov, first deputy chair of the defense committee of Russia’s State Duma, called for a decisive military response against the United States. In his view, attacking American vessels would be “normal.”
According to Zhuravlyov, Russia should respond by “attacking with torpedoes and sinking several American United States Coast Guard cutters.” Zhuravlyov is known for controversial and aggressive statements directed at Western countries, including threats to use nuclear weapons.
The United States has imposed sanctions on Venezuela for years, aimed at limiting the oil revenues of the regime of Nicolás Maduro.
Despite this, Venezuelan crude continues to reach global markets, often through the so-called shadow fleet—tankers that conceal their identity and routes to circumvent restrictions.
The detention of the tanker Marinera, which previously operated under the name Bella 1, is another example of U.S. efforts to tighten the blockade. The United States Southern Command reported today that another tanker, M/T Sophia, sanctioned for transporting Russian oil, was also seized.