MOSCOW — Russia has raised grave concerns over what it described as the illegal use of military force by the United States against a civilian oil tanker on the high seas, warning that the incident represents a serious violation of international maritime law and a dangerous escalation that risks provoking a broader international crisis.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Washington’s actions against the Marinera oil tanker amounted to an unlawful seizure of a civilian vessel and the detention of its crew, despite repeated notifications to US authorities regarding the ship’s ownership and legal status.
“The Russian Foreign Ministry expresses serious concern over the illegal use of force carried out by the US forces against the Marinera oil tanker on January 7,” the statement said.
The incident, according to Moscow, involved the landing of US military personnel on the vessel and its subsequent seizure in international waters, an act the ministry characterized as a fundamental breach of the principles governing freedom of navigation and international maritime law.
Russian officials stressed that US authorities had been informed multiple times, including through official diplomatic channels, that the Marinera was a Russian-owned vessel engaged in peaceful civilian activity.
“The US authorities have repeatedly received information, including through official diplomatic channels, about the Russian ownership of the vessel and its peaceful civilian status,” the ministry said.
Despite these communications, Washington proceeded with what Moscow described as a military operation against a non-combatant ship, raising serious legal and diplomatic questions about the use of force outside any recognized framework of international law.
Under international maritime conventions, civilian vessels operating lawfully on the high seas are protected from interference and seizure by foreign military forces except under narrowly defined circumstances.
“The US military’s landing and the seizure of Marinera constitutes a gross violation of fundamental principles of international maritime law,” the statement read.
Moscow emphasized that the boarding of the vessel could not be justified under any legal interpretation of maritime norms and warned that the precedent set by such actions threatens the stability of global shipping routes.
“The boarding of a civilian vessel by US military personnel on the high seas and its actual seizure, as well as the capture of the crew, cannot be interpreted as anything other than the gravest violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international maritime law, as well as the freedom of navigation,” the ministry said.
According to the statement, the seizure also constitutes a direct infringement on the rights of the shipowner, undermining long-standing legal protections that form the backbone of international trade.
“This constitutes a significant infringement of the legitimate rights and interests of the shipowner,” the ministry added.
Russia further demanded that the United States ensure the humane and dignified treatment of Russian nationals aboard the tanker, underscoring concerns about the welfare of the detained crew following the military action.
“Russia also demands that the US ensure dignified treatment for the Russians aboard the Marinera tanker,” the statement said.
The Foreign Ministry called on Washington to immediately halt what it described as unlawful actions against civilian shipping and to recommit itself to the foundational principles that govern conduct at sea.
“Russia calls on the US to return to observing the fundamental norms and principles of international maritime navigation and immediately cease its illegal actions against Marinera and other vessels engaged in lawful activities on the high seas,” the statement said.
The language used by Moscow reflects a broader concern about what it sees as a pattern of US behavior that increasingly disregards international legal constraints, particularly in regions where Washington asserts unilateral authority through military power.
Russian officials warned that such actions risk destabilizing the global maritime system, where freedom of navigation is essential not only for energy markets but also for the functioning of international trade more broadly.
The seizure of a civilian tanker, Moscow argued, goes beyond a bilateral dispute and strikes at the heart of international legal norms that have governed the seas for decades, echoing earlier disputes over naval pressure in contested waters such as the Baltic Sea, where Russia has accused Western powers of undermining maritime stability.
Similar concerns have previously been raised in response to NATO naval activity, including instances where Moscow warned that security pretexts were being used to restrict lawful navigation, as reported in Russia’s warnings over Baltic Sea navigation.
Moscow also expressed alarm at what it described as Washington’s willingness to provoke international crises through unilateral military decisions.
“Moscow is concerned about the US’s readiness to generate acute international crises,” the ministry added.
External analysts have noted that such actions could invite reciprocal measures and further strain global maritime security, a concern echoed in multiple international reports on the seizure of Russian-flagged vessels in international waters.
The Marinera case, Moscow warned, could have far-reaching consequences if left unaddressed, potentially emboldening similar actions by other states and increasing the risk of miscalculation in already tense geopolitical environments.
By formally condemning the seizure and demanding compliance with international law, Russia has signaled that it expects accountability and corrective action from Washington, even as broader tensions between the two countries continue to shape global security dynamics.
