WW3 Alarm Bells Ring? NUCLEAR Threats Fly As Putin Reprimands Trump After US Seizes Russian Oil Tanker

Tensions between Russia and the US are ramping up. The seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker by the United States Navy in the North Atlantic has triggered a sharp diplomatic and political confrontation between Washington and Moscow, intensifying already strained relations as President Donald Trump moves to tighten pressure on Venezuela through a targeted oil embargo.

Russia has condemned the action as illegal and a violation of international law, while senior Russian lawmakers have issued unusually aggressive warnings, including references to possible nuclear retaliation. The United States, meanwhile, has defended the seizure as part of a broader enforcement effort aimed at disrupting sanctioned Venezuelan oil shipments.

Russia Condemns US Boarding of Tanker in International Waters

On Wednesday, Russia’s Ministry of Transport strongly denounced the US military’s seizure of the oil tanker Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, asserting that Washington had no legal authority to use force against a vessel lawfully registered under another country’s jurisdiction on the high seas.

Also Read: What is Bella 1, aka Marinera? US seizes Venezuela‑linked oil tanker; why is Russia protecting it with a submarine? Explained

In a statement issued on Telegram and cited by news agency ANI, the ministry said the tanker had been granted a temporary permit to sail under the Russian flag on December 24, 2025, in full compliance with Russian law and international maritime regulations.

“On December 24, 2025, the Marinera received a temporary permit to sail under the Russian Federation flag, issued in accordance with Russian law and international law,” the statement said.
The ministry added that US naval forces boarded the vessel outside the territorial waters of any state, after which communication with the ship was lost.

“Today, at approximately 3:00 pm Moscow time, the vessel was boarded by US Navy forces in the high seas outside the territorial waters of any state, and contact with the vessel was lost,” the statement read.

Russia Cites UN Convention on Freedom of Navigation

Russian authorities repeatedly referenced the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, arguing that the US action violated the principle of freedom of navigation in international waters.

“In accordance with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation applies in high seas waters, and no state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states,” the ministry said.

The statement was issued shortly after the US European Command confirmed that American forces had seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker M/V Bella 1 in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The seizure comes as President Trump seeks to assert control over Venezuela’s oil sector, in part through an aggressive embargo strategy aimed at cutting off sanctioned shipments.

Russian Lawmakers Issue Hardline Warnings Against US

The incident has prompted a sharp response from senior Russian lawmakers. Aleksey Zhuravlyov, first deputy head of the Russian State Duma’s defence committee, issued a sensational warning following the tanker’s seizure.

Zhuravlyov accused the United States of “outright piracy” and called for a military response, claiming Washington had been emboldened by its actions against Venezuela and the capture of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

“We need to provide a military response: attack with torpedoes or sink a couple of American boats,” Zhuravlyov said.

“The seizure of a civilian vessel by the armed US Navy is nothing short of piracy,” he added.

Zhuravlyov went further, framing the boarding of the tanker as an attack on Russian sovereignty.

“It is essentially the same as an attack on Russian territory, since the tanker was flying our national flag,” he said.

“There is no doubt that we must respond firmly and swiftly – our military doctrine even envisages the use of nuclear weapons in response to such an attack.”

Russian Officials Angered by Two-Week Atlantic Chase

Russian officials said American forces boarded the Marinera after a two-week pursuit across the Atlantic Ocean. The tanker, described by Moscow as part of a “shadow fleet,” was ultimately taken into US custody, a development Russian officials characterised as a fresh humiliation for President Vladimir Putin.

Senior Russian lawmaker Andrei Aleksandrovich Klishas reacted angrily to the seizure, branding it “an act of outright piracy.”

Russian officials have also highlighted reports suggesting that Russian naval assets, including a submarine, were operating in the vicinity during the US operation, further heightening tensions surrounding the incident.

US Defends Seizure Of Russian Tanker, Signals More Interceptions

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared to dismiss Russian accusations, responding defiantly to questions about the legality of the operation.

Speaking to the press, Hegseth said a blockade of Venezuelan oil was now fully in effect and confirmed that the intercepted tanker was linked to Russia.

“Our military is prepared to continue [these seizures],” he said.
Hegseth also underscored the administration’s resolve, linking the operation directly to President Trump’s directives.

“When the President speaks, he means it. He’s not messing around,” he added.

Also Read: Watch: US Seizes Second Venezuela-Linked, Sanctioned Tanker ‘Sophia’ In Caribbean Sea; Military Video Emerges- What We Know