Russia has issued a menacing threat of World War Three following the US seizure of the Marinera oil tanker. The operation to capture the Venezuelan-linked vessel, previously known as the Bella 1, was conducted in the Atlantic with the assistance of RAF surveillance aircraft and the naval supply ship RFA Tideforce. Despite being monitored by Russian forces, the tanker was intercepted as it sailed between Iceland and Scotland.
Russian lawmaker Alexei Zhuravlev vehemently criticized the US-British operation, urging President Vladimir Putin to take aggressive action against the American navy, including attacking with torpedoes and sinking American Coast Guard boats. He denounced the seizure as an act of piracy and a violation of Russian territory since the tanker was sailing under the Russian national flag.
Zhuravlev emphasized the need for a swift and firm response, suggesting that the use of nuclear weapons could be considered under Russia’s military doctrine in such a situation. Another Russian parliament member, Lt-Gen Andrey Gurulev, proposed imposing sanctions on ships heading to Black Sea ports and using nuclear-capable missile systems to target Western missile production facilities.
The lack of response from Putin after a failed call to prevent the tanker’s seizure raised concerns among Russian officials. Former Kremlin president Dmitry Medvedev warned the Trump administration against playing games with Russia. Meanwhile, Defence Secretary John Healey defended the legality of the seizure, citing the vessel’s stateless status and involvement in breaching sanctions on Iran.
Healey revealed that the Marinera had transported millions of barrels of Iranian crude oil over four years, financing terrorism and instability globally. The attempt to evade seizure by changing the vessel’s name and adopting the Russian flag was highlighted as suspicious. The Russian foreign ministry argued that the seizure violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, claiming that the ship had been granted a temporary permit to sail under the Russian flag.
Prior to the seizure, Kremlin adviser Andrei Fedorov cautioned that any hostile action against Russia could lead to a critical or crisis situation in US-Russia relations.