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Three Indians are among the unit connected committee the Russian lipid tanker seized by the U.S., section media reported adjacent arsenic Moscow connected Thursday (January 8, 2026) asked Washington to comply with planetary laws connected state of maritime navigation portion powerfully rejecting its ‘neo-colonist’ tendencies.
The Russian Foreign Ministry besides said accusation astir the Marinera tanker, antecedently known arsenic Bella 1, that was seized connected Wednesday (January 7) by the U.S. coastguard successful the North Atlantic, was conveyed to America repeatedly.
“The Marinera unit consists of 17 Ukrainian citizens, six Georgian citizens, 3 Indian citizens and 2 Russian citizens,” Russia Today said, quoting sources.
“We telephone connected Washington to resume compliance with the cardinal norms and principles of planetary maritime navigation and instantly cease its amerciable actions against the Marinera tanker and different vessels engaged successful law-abiding activities connected the precocious seas,” the Foreign Ministry said successful a statement.
Moscow said it considers the U.S. references to its nationalist “sanctions legislation” to beryllium unfounded.
“The statements by immoderate U.S. officials that the seizure of the Marinera is portion of a broader strategy to found Washington’s unlimited power implicit Venezuela’s earthy resources are highly cynical. We powerfully cull specified neo-colonialist tendencies,” the Foreign Ministry underscored.
“Unilateral restrictive measures by the U.S., arsenic good arsenic different Western countries, are illegitimate and cannot warrant attempts to found jurisdiction and, adjacent much so, to prehend ships connected the precocious seas,” it said.
Demanding humane and dignified attraction of its crew, the connection said: “We reiterate our request that the U.S. guarantee humane and dignified attraction of the Russian citizens comprising the tanker’s crew, strictly observe their rights and interests, and marque nary obstacles to their punctual instrumentality to their homeland.”
It besides expressed superior concerns of the usage of subject unit by the U.S. against the lipid tanker, afloat accusation astir which was conveyed to it.
“The Marinera, which connected December 24 received impermanent support to sail nether the Russian emblem successful accordance with the planetary instrumentality and Russian legislation, was peacefully transiting planetary waters successful the North Atlantic, heading for 1 of Russia’s ports,” the overseas ministry said.
The U.S. authorities had been repeatedly provided with reliable information, including from the Russian Foreign Ministry, astir the ship’s Russian root and its civilian status, it asserted.
“Russia did not springiness consent to these actions. On the contrary, it lodged an authoritative protestation with the U.S. authorities regarding the pursuit of the Marinera by a U.S. Coast Guard vas implicit the past respective weeks, insisting connected the contiguous cessation of these activities and the withdrawal of the unlawful demands made connected the Russian ship’s captain,” the ministry said.
Under these circumstances, U.S. subject unit boarding a civilian vas connected the precocious seas and efficaciously seizing it, arsenic good arsenic capturing its crew, “can lone beryllium viewed arsenic a gross usurpation of the basal principles and norms of planetary maritime instrumentality and state of navigation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
