India, Jan. 8 -- MOSCOW, January 8 - Russia has strongly condemned the U.S. seizure of the oil tanker Marinera, calling the operation a violation of international maritime law and asserting the vessel was lawfully flying the Russian flag. The diplomatic clash centers on conflicting interpretations of jurisdiction on the high seas.

In a detailed statement on Telegram, Russia's Ministry of Transport asserted the tanker Marinera (formerly the Bella 1) received a temporary permit to sail under the Russian flag on December 24, 2025. It said the boarding by U.S. naval forces occurred in international waters, outside any state's territorial jurisdiction. Citing the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the ministry stre...