Russia’s naval move to protect oil tanker Marinera (Bella 1): A new standoff between Russia and USA

A sudden maritime confrontation involving the Russian Navy and the United States has unfolded in early January 2026, centered on an oil tanker pursued by U.S. forces across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Tanker at the centre of the Dispute: Bella 1 / Marinera

The vessel was originally the oil tanker Bella 1 and is a shadow fleet. U.S. authorities had been pursuing the vessel since December 2025 for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions by moving black-market oil.

During the pursuit:

• The crew repelled an attempted U.S. Coast Guard boarding,

• The vessel was then renamed “Marinera”,

• It was painted with a Russian flag and re-registered under Russia.

As the U.S. Coast Guard and allied forces tracked the tanker through the North Atlantic, Moscow responded by dispatching military support, including a diesel-electric submarine and other naval vessels, to escort the tanker and warn the United States against seizing the vessel.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a vessel on the high seas is generally subject to the jurisdiction of the state whose flag it flies. Russia used this principle to justify its escort and criticism of the U.S. seizure

This is not a good sign and a stand off between two world largest power can lead to an escalation.

Image credit - AI