US Returns Intercepted Tanker From Russian Federation's 'shadow Fleet' To Venezuela For The First Time

The ship in question is the Panama-flagged supertanker Sophia.

The United States is handing over to Venesuela a tanker from Russia's "shadow fleet" that was seized in early January 2026. This is the first known instance of the Trump administration returning such a tanker.

It was reported by Reuters.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the tanker in question was the Panama-flagged supertanker M/T Sophia. However, they did not specify why the tanker was returned.

The U.S. Coast Guard, which is leading the interdiction and detention operations, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Reminder that the U.S. has been conducting an operation to detain oil tankers linked to Venezuela for several months. Thus, 7 detentions have been made since the end of 2025.

In particular, the tanker Sophia was intercepted on January 7 by the Coast Guard and U.S. troops.

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