US detains oil tanker Olina in Caribbean, - Reuters. VIDEO
The US seizes the tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea near Trinidad
This was reported by Reuters, as relayed by Censor.NET.
Details
This is the fifth such interception of ships in recent weeks as part of Washington's efforts to control Venezuelan oil exports, two American officials said.
The tanker Olina had previously sailed from Venezuela and returned to the region.
According to Reuters, last week the "Olina" left Venezuela fully loaded with oil as part of a flotilla shortly after the US seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on 3 January.
The ship returned fully loaded to Venezuela after the US blockade.
The WSJ writes that the Coast Guard has boarded the vessel.
The ship was previously known as the Minerva M. The United States imposed sanctions on it for transporting Russian oil.
"This move is likely to exacerbate tensions between Washington and Moscow, coming just days after the US seized a ship claiming to be under Russian protection and escorted by the Russian Navy," the article says.
The tanker Olina appears on the DIU portal "War and sanctions".
It is known that it called at ports in Russia, Turkey, India and China.
Subsequently, the US Southern Command of the Armed Forces confirmed the capture of an oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea.
What preceded it?
- Earlier it became known that on 7 January, the United States seized the Russian-flagged tanker Bella-1/Marinera in the North Atlantic. The tanker was sailing from Venezuela to Russia.
- The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Russian citizens were on board the tanker. They demanded that the United States ensure "humane and dignified treatment" of their citizens on the ship, respect their rights and interests, and not prevent the Russians from returning to their homeland from the ship as soon as possible.
