WSJ: Russia Sent A Submarine To Escort A Tanker Chased By The U.S.

The vessel without cargo changed its name and registration to Russian.

Russia has deployed a submarine and other warships to escort an oil tanker that is trying to avoid being detained by the U.S. Coast Guard in the Atlantic Ocean. This is reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing sources among U.S. officials.

The vessel in question was previously called Bella 1. According to the publication, the tanker failed to enter Venezuelan ports to load oil and is now empty. Despite this, the U.S. Coast Guard has begun pursuing it as part of a large-scale campaign to identify and detain the so-called "shadow fleet" carrying illegal oil, particularly of Russian origin.

In December, the ship's crew thwarted an attempt by the U.S. military to board the vessel. The tanker then took to the high seas, painted a Russian flag on board, and changed its registration and name to Marinera, effectively claiming to belong to the Russian Federation.

"Russia is concerned that the United States is detaining tankers that carry its smuggled oil around the world and fuel its economy. In response, Moscow took the unprecedented step of allowing one of the tankers to register in Russia without inspection or other formalities," the WSJ writes.

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