Moscow says US seizure of Russian-flagged oil tanker ‘violates’ int’l maritime law

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia on Thursday defined the seizure of the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, previously known as M/V Bella 1, by the US in the North Atlantic Ocean as a “gross violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international maritime law.”

A statement by the country’s Foreign Ministry said that the seizure of the tanker also violated “freedom of navigation,” expressing “serious concern” over what it described as an “illegal military action” taken by the US.

It said that US authorities were repeatedly informed about the vessel's “Russian identity and its civilian, peaceful status.”

“They had no doubt about this, nor was there any basis for speculating that the tanker was sailing ‘without a flag’ or ‘under a false flag’,” the statement said, adding that the threat of legal action against the vessel’s crew under “absurd pretexts” by US authorities is “categorically unacceptable.”

The statement also said that Russia considered Washington's reference to its own "sanctions legislation" for the seizure to be “unfounded.”

“We call on Washington to return to compliance with the fundamental norms and principles of international maritime navigation and immediately cease its illegal actions against the Marinera, as well as other vessels engaged in legitimate activities on the high seas,” it added.

US forces announced Wednesday the seizure of the Marinera in the North Atlantic Ocean for “violations of US sanctions."