Russia responds after US seized two Venezuelan oil tankers

Russia’s Ministry of Transport said that it lost contact with the tanker seized by the US in the North Atlantic as American troops boarded the ship.

The ministry said on December 24, the tanker ‘received a temporary permit to fly the Russian Federation flag, issued in accordance with Russian law and international law.’

Before the seizure, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said that it was ‘following with concern the anomalous situation that has developed around the Russian oil tanker Marinera.’

As US troops took over the ship, the transport ministry said the ship was ‘outside the territorial waters of any state’ and ‘contact with the vessel was lost.’

Immediately after, Russian officials cited the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, noting, ‘No state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states.’

Emmanuel Belostrino, senior manager of crude oil market data at analytics firm Kpler, told CNN the Sophia tanker seized in the Caribbean is carrying approximately two million barrels of crude oil from Venezuela.

‘M Sophia is laden with around two million barrels of Merey crude oil, loaded from Jose Oil Terminal (JOT) around December 26-29, as confirmed by satellite imagery and port reports seen by Kpler,’ Belostrino said.

He added, ‘The VLCC’s (very large crude carrier) previous voyage was also from Venezuela, when it similarly loaded around two million barrels of Merey crude in early August 2025 before heading to offshore Malaysia (EOPL).

‘The sanctioned cargo was likely transferred to another vessel via dark ship-to-ship transfer, but Kpler has not determined the partner vessel.’

Two million barrels of crude oil is roughly $113million based on the current price of crude oil.

Andrei Klishas, a member of the upper house of Russia’s parliament, told TASS state news agency the American oil tanker seizure is ‘outright piracy.’

Donald Trump announced a deal with the Venezuelan regime to give the United States 30 to 50 million barrels of oil which could be worth up to $2billion on Truth Social yesterday.

‘I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,’ he wrote.

‘This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States!’

President Donald Trump’s emergency command aircraft streaked across the country to Washington DC as global tensions escalate.

The Boeing E-4B Nightwatch, also known as the ‘Doomsday plane,’ serves as a flying command post for top officials during times of crisis and is built to survive a nuclear attack while coordinating military action.

Flight tracking sites recorded the E-4B departing Omaha, Nebraska, blazing eastward before landing at Camp Springs, just outside the capital, Tuesday evening.

Speaking at a Goldman Sachs energy event in Miami, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the US will control sales of Venezuelan oil ‘indefinitely.’

‘Instead of the oil being blockaded, as it is right now, we’re gonna let the oil flow to United States refineries and around the world to bring better oil supplies, but have those sales done by the US government,’ Wright said.

‘We’re going to market the crude coming out of Venezuela, first this backed up stored oil, and then indefinitely, going forward, we will sell the production that comes out of Venezuela into the marketplace.’

The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that British troops provided support for the US oil tanker seizure in the North Atlantic.

‘The UK has provided enabling support to the United States at their request to interdict the vessel Bella 1 today,’ the ministry said.

‘UK Armed Forces provided pre-planned operational support, including basing, to US military assets interdicting the Bella 1 in the UK-Iceland-Greenland gap following a US request for assistance. RFA Tideforce provided support for US forces pursuing and interdicting the Bella 1, while the RAF provided surveillance support from the air.

‘The UK and US defense and security relationship is the deepest in the world and the UK provided enabling support in full compliance with international law.’

Donald Trump has launched a ferocious attack on his NATO allies just hours after America seized a Russian-flagged tanker in European waters.

The President wrote on Truth Social: ‘Remember, for all of those big NATO fans, they were at 2% GDP, and most weren’t paying their bills, UNTIL I CAME ALONG. The USA was, foolishly, paying for them! I, respectfully, got them to 5% GDP, AND THEY PAY, immediately.

‘Everyone said that couldn’t be done, but it could, because, beyond all else, they are all my friends. Without my involvement, Russia would have ALL OF UKRAINE right now. Remember, also, I single-handedly ENDED 8 WARS, and Norway, a NATO Member, foolishly chose not to give me the Noble Peace Prize. But that doesn’t matter! What does matter is that I saved Millions of Lives.

The next man on Donald Trump’s hit list in Venezuela appears to be the official in charge of security forces in the country.

Interior, Justice and Peace Minister Diosdado Cabello has been put on notice, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The ultimatum he’s facing is to assist Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, whom President Trump says is cooperating, to meet US demands and keep order following the capture and extradition of Nicolas Maduro.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the US will determine and regulate ‘lawful energy commerce’ from Venezuela.

‘The United States continues to enforce the blockade against all dark fleet vessels illegally transporting Venezuelan oil to finance illicit activity, stealing from the Venezuelan people,’ he wrote on X.

‘Only legitimate and lawful energy commerce – as determined by the US – will be permitted.’

Donald Trump called out NATO in a lengthy Truth Social post Wednesday morning, as the US military confirmed it seized two Venezuela-linked oil tankers.

The president said that Russia and China have ‘zero fear of NATO without the United States.’

‘The only Nation that China and Russia fear and respect is the DJT REBUILT U.S.A. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!’ he wrote.

Trump added, ‘We will always be there for NATO, even if they won’t be there for us.’