Russia asks the US to stop pursuing the tanker: what is known about Bella 1.

According to ТСН: The Russian government has appealed to the United States to cease the pursuit of an oil tanker heading to Venezuela under the Russian flag, in order to avoid seizure by the American coast guard. The vessel Bella 1 was spotted in the Caribbean Sea and is currently en route via the Atlantic to Northern Europe.

The request from Russia was sent to the State Department on New Year's Eve. A representative also noted that a similar request was directed to the White House's Department of Homeland Security.

American military forces tracked the Bella 1 tanker for nearly two weeks. The ship, which began its journey from Iran, was heading to Venezuela for oil when American forces attempted to stop it in the Caribbean Sea.

The US authorities claim that the vessel does not have a valid national flag, deeming it stateless, which allows for its inspection under international law. They also noted that they have a warrant for its arrest; however, the crew of the Bella 1 refused to comply with these demands and turned back into the Atlantic.

After this, the ship attempted to assert Russian protection: the crew painted the Russian flag on the hull and informed the coast guard that the vessel was under Russian control. Recently, Bella 1 appeared in the Russian ship registry under a new name 'Marinera' with a port of registration in Sochi on the Black Sea.

The White House has yet to comment on the situation, but an anonymous American official stated that the administration considers the tanker to be a 'stateless vessel' due to its sailing under a false flag during its initial contact with the coast guard.

According to international law, providing Russian protection for the Bella 1 tanker seems unlikely. However, Russia's diplomatic intervention could complicate US attempts to seize the vessel.

David Tannenbaum, a former US Treasury official on sanctions enforcement, noted that “it is unclear” whether excessive granting of the vessel's Russian “flag registration for the night” will be effective.

It is also worth noting that the day before, the Finnish Border Guard detained another vessel that departed from the port in Saint Petersburg, suspecting it of damaging underwater cables in the Baltic Sea.

Thus, the situation surrounding the Bella 1 tanker demonstrates increasing tension in international waters, particularly in the context of potential illegal transportations. Russia's diplomatic efforts may significantly complicate US actions in the region, highlighting competitive influence over strategic energy supply routes.