US Seizes Russian Tanker, Venezuela Oil Ship; Moscow Slams 'Use of Force'

• US forces seized a Russian-flagged tanker in the North Atlantic and a Venezuela-linked oil ship, M/T Sophia, in the Caribbean Sea.
• The Russian tanker, formerly Bella-1, was renamed Marinera and had Russian insignia painted on its hull, despite US sanctions since 2024.
• Moscow condemned the seizures, citing the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and freedom of navigation.
• These actions follow the extraction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro to New York on drug charges, with President Trump asserting US control over Venezuela's oil.
• Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez is expected to transfer 30-50 million barrels of oil to the US, valued over $2 billion.

Why It Matters: US escalates Venezuela intervention with dual tanker seizures, sparking Russian condemnation and oil transfer plans.