Russia Deploys Submarine to Protect Sanctioned Tanker, Escalating US Tensions at Sea

• Russia deployed a submarine and naval assets near Venezuela to protect the sanctioned oil tanker Marinera (formerly Bella 1) from potential US seizure.
• The tanker, part of Russia's 'shadow fleet', evaded a US Coast Guard blockade for two weeks, with its crew resisting boarding attempts and re-registering it under the Russian flag.
• The Russian Foreign Ministry demanded the US cease pursuit, while the US Southern Command affirmed readiness to act against sanctioned vessels.
• The vessel is currently in the Atlantic, south of Iceland, heading towards Russia's Murmansk port, as US monitors Russia's efforts to circumvent sanctions.

Why It Matters: US-Russia tensions escalate at sea over a sanctioned oil tanker, highlighting Russia's defiance of sanctions.