Russian MP Alexei Zhuravlev called for attacking with torpedoes, to sink a couple of American coast guard boats – normally, they guard their shore several thousand kilometres away from it.
Russian MP Alexei Zhuravlev on Thursday issued a sharp warning to the United States after US forces seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, suggesting Washington could face a military response if it continues what Moscow considers unlawful actions on the high seas.
Commenting on the boarding and seizure of the tanker Marinera, previously known as Bella 1, Zhuravlev accused the United States of acting with impunity and said it should be stopped through forceful retaliation.
“To attack with torpedoes, to sink a couple of American coast guard boats – normally they guard their shore several thousand kilometers away from it – I think the United States, which is in a kind of euphoria of impunity after the special operation in Venezuela, can only be stopped now with such a click on the nose.โ
Zhuravlev made the remarks hours after US military forces, operating alongside the Coast Guard, seized the Russian-flagged tanker in international waters north of Scotland under a warrant issued by a US federal court.
Earlier, the US Coast Guard also intercepted another tanker carrying Venezuelan oil, the Panama-flagged M Sophia, near the northeast coast of South America, according to US officials. This marked the fourth such seizure in recent weeks.
Records from Venezuelaโs state oil company PDVSA show the tanker was fully loaded.
Washington says the Marinera was part of a network of vessels used to transport sanctioned oil linked to Venezuela and Iran.
Seizure heightens US-Russian tensions
In Russia, however, the seizure has been portrayed as a direct violation of international law and Russian sovereignty. Officials insist the tanker was lawfully registered under the Russian flag and was operating in compliance with both Russian and international regulations.
The Russian Ministry of Transport said earlier that the Marinera had received a temporary permit to sail under the Russian Federation flag on December 24, 2025.
According to the ministry, US naval forces boarded the vessel on the high seas, outside the territorial waters of any state, after which contact with the tanker was lost.
Russian authorities have repeatedly cited the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which guarantees freedom of navigation in international waters and limits the use of force against foreign-flagged vessels.
The seizure has further strained relations between Moscow and Washington, particularly amid reports that Russian naval assets, including a submarine, were operating nearby during the US operation.
Also read:ย US set to take control of Venezuela’s oil reserves, Trump says ‘going to make lot of money’
ย