Tanker pursued by the U.S. for two weeks switches to Russian registry and heads north at top speed

Russia filed a formal diplomatic request that the United States stop pursuing an oil tanker originally bound for Venezuela that has evaded U.S. custody

Facebook

a day ago

Russia filed a formal diplomatic request that the United States stop pursuing an oil tanker originally bound for Venezuela that has evaded US custody for almost two weeks, two sources familiar with

Euromaidan Press

Russia registers Bella 1 tanker as Marinera amid U.S. chase

A tanker is being chased across the Atlantic — and Russia is trying to “adopt” it mid-run.

U.S. officials say the vessel (previously known as Bella 1) is under U.S. sanctions for transporting Iranian crude tied to Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran’s IRGC.

After the Coast Guard tried to board it on 21 December in the Caribbean, the ship refused, turned into the Atlantic, and has reportedly been tailed at roughly 800 meters ever since.
Now the same ship appears in Russia’s records as “Marinera,” with Sochi as its home port — and the crew has reportedly painted a Russian flag on the hull.

The article looks at why the U.S. still calls it “stateless,”