The US Coast Guard and the US military conducted an operation to intercept the oil tanker Marinera, formerly known as Bella‑1 and now flying the Russian flag.
Concern is growing in Europe at what officials see as an increase in hybrid threats from Russia since it launched its war in Ukraine, which Moscow denies.
Following Russian attacks on December 20th on sunflower oil storage facilities at the port of Pivdenny near Odesa, tanks were damaged, triggering significant and potentially damaging marine pollution.
The listing could make it more challenging for U.S. forces to board the ship, which an arm of the Kremlin’s maritime authority says is now flying the Russian flag.
In the Black Sea waters within the Odesa district, oily slicks have been recorded on the water's surface due to oil entering the sea as a result of a Russian attack.
