According to a report, the vessel had a 28-member crew. Of these, 17 were Ukrainian nationals. Rest, there were six Georgian nationals and three Indian citizens. The crew also consisted two Russian citizens.
The Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, which was seized by the United States (US) forces on Wednesday in the North Atlantic, consisted three Indians among the crew. The vessel, which was previously calledย Bella 1 and wasย linked to Venezuelan oil shipments, had a multinational crew that includes Indians, Russians and Ukrainian nationals.
According to a report by Russia Today, the vessel had a 28-member crew. Of these, 17 were Ukrainian nationals. Rest, there were six Georgian nationals and three Indian citizens. The crew also consisted two Russian citizens.
The oil tanker was seized by the US forces on Wednesday. In a statement, the US European Command said the vessel, which was tracked by USCGC Munro, was seized in pursuant to a warrant issued by a federal court. It said the seizure supports President Donald Trump’s proclamation “targeting sanctioned vessels that threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere”.
“The operation was executed by DHS components with support from Department of War, showcasing a whole-of-government approach to protect the homeland,” the US European Command posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Russia enraged over seizureย
The seizure left Russia enraged, with Moscow saying that the US does not have any legal authority to act against a vessel that was operating in another nation’s jurisdiction. The Russian Transport Ministry also said that the vessel only had received a temporary permit to sail under the flag of Russia.
A Russian MP has also warned that Moscow should consider a military response and target American Coast Guard ships. “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,” said Russian MP Alexei Zhuravlev.
China has also come in support of Russia and condemned the US seizure. However, the White House has rejected speculations of a confrontation with Russia and said that President Donald Trump has a good relationship with President Vladimir Putin, even though the latter has not issued a remark over the incident yet.
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