The Russian Foreign Ministry has accused the United States of stoking tensions after the Mariner tanker was seized, which the US says was carrying oil in violation of sanctions. Moscow demands the release of the crew and accuses the West of illegitimate measures.
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused the United States of inciting tensions and endangering international shipping. This was in response to Wednesday’s detention of the Mariner tanker sailing under the Russian flag in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean by the US Navy. TASR informs about it according to the report of the AFP agency.
- Russia accused the US of inciting tensions at sea.
- The Americans detained a Russian tanker suspected of violating sanctions.
- Russia demands the release of the crew and the tanker Mariner.
The United States intercepted the tanker after several weeks of pursuit. According to them, he transported oil for Iran, Russia and Venezuela in violation of Western sanctions. He was detained just days after US special forces captured and deported Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on Saturday night.
Tension between countries
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that the detention of the tanker “will only lead to further military and political tensions”. The ministry also expressed concern about “Washington’s willingness to provoke acute international crisis situations.”
On Wednesday, Moscow asked Washington to release the Russian crew of the tanker Mariner, originally known as Bella 1, which was heading to a Russian port. According to her, the tanker was sailing in accordance with the standards of international law and on the basis of a temporary permit to sail under the state flag of the Russian Federation. According to Russia, it has repeatedly informed the US authorities that it is a civilian tanker.
Sanctions and charges
According to the United States, the crew of the detained tanker may be prosecuted, which the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers categorically unacceptable.
In addition, Russia has called the Western sanctions illegitimate and stated that they cannot be used as authorization to detain ships on the high seas. Britain, which in the form of reconnaissance flights and the deployment of a military ship, provided support to the Americans in the seizure of the tanker, was accused by the Russian Ministry of “long-term involvement in maritime piracy.”
