Russia Sends Navy to Escort Oil Tanker Being Pursued by the U.S.

Russia has deployed a submarine as well as other vessels to escort an empty oil tanker across the Atlantic, according to a U.S. official who spoke with the Wall Street Journal.

The ship, formerly known as Bella 1, has been accused of breaking US sanctions and of transporting Iranian crude.

Most recently, the U.S. has placed Venezuelan oil under “quarantine” after President Donald Trump ordered a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers tied to Venezuela.

Bella 1 has tried to dodge the blockade for over two weeks.

Despite the ship being vacant, the U.S. Coast Guard has tried to seize it as part of a broader crackdown on multiple vessels transporting sanctioned oil globally.

In December, the tanker’s crew successfully evaded efforts by the U.S. to board it. During the Coast Guard’s pursuit across the Atlantic, the tanker switched its registration from Guyanese to a Russian vessel and was renamed the Marinera.

"At present, our vessel is sailing in the international waters of the North Atlantic under the state flag of the Russian Federation and in full compliance with the norms of international maritime law," Russia’s foreign ministry said. "For reasons unclear to us, the Russian ship is being given increased and clearly disproportionate attention by the US and Nato military, despite its peaceful status," the ministry added.

At the time of pursuit, the Bella 1 was an unregistered tanker carrying a false flag, which the U.S. had sanctioned due to the vessel allegedly transporting black-market Iranian oil on behalf of U.S.-designated terrorist organizations associated with Tehran.

According to experts, the ship’s new registration puts the U.S. legal order to seize the tanker in a complicated position.

Retired Rear Adm. Fred Kenney, former director of legal affairs and external relations at the International Maritime Organization, told the WSJ that “once it’s legitimately registered, it gets the protection of the flag” under international law. “It’s not retroactive, you can’t say it was stateless two weeks ago, so we’re going to say it’s stateless now,” he added.