Why did the US seize a Russian-flagged tanker despite the risk of tensions with Moscow?

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0 January 8, 2026 00:17

The United States on Wednesday (Jan 7) seized a Russian-flagged vessel in the North Atlantic linked to Venezuelan oil. Washington said the tanker, named the Marinera, is a Venezuelan shadow fleet vessel that transported sanctioned oil. Former US State Department official Eric Farnsworth tells CNA’s Asia First why he believes Washington went ahead with the seizure, despite the risk of a confrontation with Russia.

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