A U.S. official told reporters that Russia sent a submarine and other naval vessels to escort an aging oil tanker that U.S. authorities sought to seize after tracing it to a network alleged to evade Western sanctions. Independent verification of the deployment has not been publicly produced, and precise identities of any submarines or escorting warships have not been confirmed. The reported dispatch of Russian naval forces to interpose between the tanker and Western surveillance or enforcement assets, if substantiated, would complicate U.S. plans. AI-generated illustrationBella 1 and ships like it have been characterized by Western officials as part of a “shadow fleet” that facilitates sanctioned oil exports for countries such as Venezuela, Iran and Russia. For now, the incident highlights the operational, legal and diplomatic tensions inherent in policing sanction regimes on the high seas.

Source: Mint January 07, 2026 15:48 UTC