In a significant escalation of enforcement operations targeting sanctioned oil shipments, the United States military has seized another oil tanker suspected of transporting Russian-linked crude in violation of international sanctions, officials confirmed Friday.
U.S. forces intercepted the vessel, named Olina, in the Caribbean Sea during a pre-dawn operation involving Marines, sailors and Coast Guard personnel launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, according to the U.S. Southern Command. The ship was identified as part of what U.S. authorities describe as a “shadow fleet” engaged in sanctions-evading activities when it was boarded and taken into custody.
The Olina is the fifth tanker seized by U.S. forces in recent weeks amid a broader campaign to curb illicit oil trade connected to Venezuela and Russia. U.S. officials allege the vessel was falsely flagged and involved in transporting embargoed oil, prompting the military action after tracking its movements in international waters.
The latest seizure follows another recent high-profile interception in the North Atlantic, where U.S. forces captured the Russian-flagged tanker Marinera after a weeks-long pursuit. Two Russian crew members from that vessel were released earlier this week at Moscow’s request, according to Russian authorities.
Moscow has condemned the operations as violations of international maritime law, asserting that vessels flying the Russian flag were legally registered and should not have been subject to forceful seizure. The legal and diplomatic tension underscores the potential for rising friction between the United States and Russia over sanctions enforcement at sea.
The U.S. military has not reported any injuries during the latest boarding, and the Olina is being escorted to a U.S. port for further legal disposition as part of the ongoing effort to control sanctioned oil flows.
