US seize Russian flag tanker wey dey linked wit Venezuela oil
Wia dis foto come from, Hakon Rimmereid / AFP via Getty Images
Di United State of America say dem seize one vessel wey get Russian flag and wey dey linked to Venezuelan oil for di North Atlantic.
Di Ministry of Defence tok say di UK military bin support for di US operation to seize di tanker for di Atlantic, wit both di use of air surveillance and navy ship.
Di US head of homeland security tok say di US Coast Guard bin arrange "back-to-back" entering of two "ghost fleet" ships.
Plenty military aircraft bin dey tracked as e dey go towards di vessel for di North Atlantic, di Marinera. Videos wey comot from Russian media bin appear to show helicopter wey dey close to di ship.
Moscow tok say di tanker bin dey temporarily flagged as Russia and add say "no state get right to use force for vessels wey dey well registered for oda kontris jurisdiction".
Tori be say di Marinera tanker bin change di flag from Guyana wia e dey registered to Russia as e dey mid-voyage for 24 December.
Michelle Bockmann, one maritime intelligence analyst for Windward say sometimes vessels dey change dia flag mid-voyahe but e dey "highly unusual and only dey seen wit dark fleet tankers.
E tell BBC Verify say to change di ship flag to Russia fit make US enforcement efforts harder.
Di ship bin dey accused say e dey break US sanctions and dey ship oil from Iran even though e dey normally transport Venezuelan crude oil but tori be say at dat moment di vessel bin dey empty.
Di owner of di oil vessel wey dem dey call di Marinera bin don dey sanctioned by di US Treasury Department for 2024.
Louis Marine Shipholding Enterprises SA na company wey dey based in Turkey bin dey accused say dem get links to Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Na di Biden administration even do am.
One public notice wey di US officials issue tok say di company bin move goods for di Quds Force, di IRGC overseas operations arm.
Di division dey support armed groups wey link wit Iran around di Middle East, wey include di Houthis for Yemen and Hezbollah for Lebanon.
According to di MarineTraffic, Marinera wey dem bin call Bella 1 bifor na di only ship wey di company get.
Wia dis foto come from, US European Command
Meanwhile di United Kingdom Ministry of Defence say e support US efforts for statement wey di UK Defence Secretary, John Healy tok say, "today our UK Armed Forces show skill and professionalism to support a successful US interception of di vessel Bella 1 as e dey go russia".
Di UK say dem make di move to crack down on wetin dem call "sanctions busting".
Oga Healy tok about di Marinera say na ship "wit nefarious history, na part of one Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion wey dey ginger terrorism, kasala and misery from di Middle East to Ukraine".
Howeva di Russian transport ministry tok say, di Marinera bin get temporary permission to sail under di Russian flag.
Di ministry statement tokk say, "for December 24, 2025, di vessel Marinera bin get temporary permission to sail under di state flag of di Russian Federation... today at around 15:00 Moscow time for di open sea out of di territorial water of any state, na for dia di US naval forces enta di vessel. Na so communication wit di ship lost o."
Wetin di US dey tok about di seized vessel?
Di US Southerm Command tok say di US don seize anoda oil tanker but dis time na for di Carribbean sea as dem call di vessel a "stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker".
For statement, di US military tok say, "di interdicted vessel, M/T Sophia bin dey operate for international waters and bin dey do illegal activities for di Carribbean Sea. Di US Coast Guard dey escort M/T Sophia enta id US for final disposition".
Meanwhile di US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth don tok on top di mata of di oil tankers wey dey seized.
For post on X, Hegseth tok say "Di blockage of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil stay in FULL EFFECT anywia for world".
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tok say, di captiure of di Marinera, di oil vessel wey dem bin dey call Bella 1 bifor bin dey authorised by US court order. Dis na as e bin dey linked to violations of US sanctions.
She add say di administration position wey say di sanctions policies go dey fully enforced and call di vessel say na part of "Venezuelan shadow fleet" wey bin dey transport sanctioned oil.
She also add say di court order wey authorise di sezing of di vessel also cover di crew wey mean say dem fit bring dem come US to face prosecution.
