US releasing 2 Russian crew members of seized oil tanker, Moscow claims
Editor's note: The story was updated with the latest details.
At Moscow's request, U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to release two Russian crew members of the Marinera oil tanker seized by U.S. authorities earlier this week, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed on Jan. 9.
"We welcome this decision and express our gratitude to the U.S. leadership," said Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson.
The U.S. has not commented on the Russian Foreign Ministry's claim at the time of publication. The Kyiv Independent has reached out to the White House and the U.S. Justice Department for comment.
The Russian-flagged vessel, formerly flying a Guyanese flag under the name Bella 1, was captured by U.S. forces on Jan. 7 after a weeks-long pursuit.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt previously said that the crew could be brought to the U.S. to face trial for potential sanctions violations "if necessary." The White House accused the vessel of flying a false flag, therefore regarding it as a "stateless" ship.
Washington has said the shadow fleet vessel was first intercepted in the Caribbean in December as it attempted to evade a U.S.-imposed blockade near Venezuela. The sanctioned tanker was traveling from Iran to load oil in the Latin American country.
The crew initially resisted boarding and re-registered their ship as a Russian vessel, starting a chase that ended with the U.S. Coast Guard capturing the ship near Iceland this week. Moscow reportedly dispatched a submarine and other vessels to escort the tanker before it was boarded by U.S. forces.
Russian authorities protested the ship's capture, noting that "no state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered under the jurisdiction of other states."
Russia's Transport Ministry confirmed that the tanker was granted "temporary authorization" to sail under the Russian flag on Dec. 24, 2025. A media investigation linked the tanker to two Kremlin allies, fugitive Ukrainian lawmaker Viktor Baranskyi and Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor.
There has been no official confirmation on the full number of crew members and their nationalities.
The unprecedented incident underscored rising tensions between Washington and Moscow after the U.S. military captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro – Russia's ally – during a strike in Caracas on Jan. 3.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, described the seizure as a "criminal" act, but challenged the decision to grant authorization to fly a Russian flag, calling it an "inadequate" move with "predictable consequences."
