U.S. intercepts tanker in the Caribbean as Russia raises legal objection
U.S. authorities said they intercepted a tanker in the Caribbean during a pre-dawn operation, while Russia later said the vessel was legally registered under its flag and seized on the high seas, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
U.S. Southern Command said the interdiction took place as part of Operation Southern Spear, describing the ship as a stateless, sanctioned tanker involved in illicit activity in international waters. According to the statement, the operation was carried out with the participation of the Department of War, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard. The tanker, identified as M/T Sophia, is being escorted to the United States for what officials called final disposition.
In a pre-dawn action this morning, the Department of War, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker without incident.
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) January 7, 2026
The interdicted vessel, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and… pic.twitter.com/JQm9gHprPk
Russian authorities offered a different account. The Russian Ministry of Transport said the vessel, which it referred to as Marinera, had received temporary permission on December 24, 2025 to sail under the Russian flag in line with national legislation and international law. The ministry said that at about 3 p.m. Moscow time, U.S. naval forces boarded the ship in open waters beyond any state’s territorial sea, after which contact with the vessel was lost.
In its statement, the ministry cited the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, noting that freedom of navigation applies on the high seas and that states are not entitled to use force against vessels properly registered under another jurisdiction.
U.S. officials did not address the Russian claims in their public statement, reiterating that Operation Southern Spear is aimed at countering illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that U.S. President Donald Trump and his advisers are considering a range of options to acquire Greenland, with the White House saying that the possible use of the U.S. military has not been ruled out.
