Free Republic

U.S. forces are attempting to board the Russian-flagged Marinera oil tanker in the North Atlantic Sea, sources told Fox News. The news, first reported by Reuters, comes after The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Russia had sent a submarine and other naval assets to escort the tanker. The vessel, previously operating under the name Bella 1, has spent more than two weeks attempting to slip past U.S. enforcement efforts targeting sanctioned oil shipments near Venezuela, the outlet reported. U.S. Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military activities in Latin America and the Caribbean, said on X that it "remains...

Sanctioned vessel reportedly under NATO surveillance as Russia asks US to halt pursuit A Venezuela-linked oil tanker operating in the so-called "dark fleet" painted a Russian flag on its hull, changed its name, and reflagged to Russia in an apparent bid to evade the U.S. Coast Guard, according to reports. The vessel has since been spotted off Ireland, with the U.S., U.K., France and Ireland reportedly conducting aerial surveillance after it escaped U.S. interception in December, The Times reported. Meanwhile, Russia has reportedly since deployed a submarine and naval assets to escort the tanker to its own waters, the Wall...