New Delhi, Jan. 9 -- Russia's Foreign Ministry on Thursday (January 8) accused the United States of illegally using force against the oil tanker Marinera in international waters, warning the incident risks escalating military and political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region.

In a strongly worded statement, Moscow said US armed forces boarded and seized the civilian tanker on January 7 while it was peacefully transiting the North Atlantic en route to a Russian port.

"The boarding and de facto seizure of a civilian vessel on the high seas by US military personnel. can only be viewed as a gross violation of fundamental principles and norms of international maritime law," the ministry said.

According to Moscow, the Marinera had been temp...