Russia has furiously railed against the US seizing a Venezuela linked oil tanker in waters just off the UK in a high risk joint action with the RAF. The Marinera tanker, which was previously named the Bella-1 before re-registering under a Russian flag, was seized by US special forces this lunchtime.

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed UK assets from the RAF also took part in the operation. The Russian transport ministry said in a statement: "No state has the right to use force against vessels properly registered in other countries' jurisdictions". It added that US forces boarded the Marinera at about 3pm Moscow time, 12 noon GMT, after which all communication with the vessel was lost.

On 24 December, the Marinera received a "temporary permission" to sail under the Russian flag, the ministry added.

The US also seized a second oil tanker in the Caribbean at the same time, and took the unusual step of immediately releasing footage of its special forces storming the vessel after the raid. 

According to the reports, Russia’s Foreign Ministry had told the state-owned news network RIA that it is currently monitoring reports of US Special Forces boarding the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, previously known as the Bella 1, in the Northern Atlantic, calling the situation “abnormal.

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