USA released crew of captured tanker: what is known about Trump's decision.

According to ТСН: Russia reports that the United States has released two Russian citizens who were members of the crew of the captured tanker Marinera.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that U.S. President Donald Trump made the decision to release them. She noted:

"In response to our request, U.S. President Donald Trump decided to release two Russian citizens from the crew of the tanker who were detained by the American side during operations in the North Atlantic."

Zakharova also expressed that Moscow welcomes this decision and "expresses its gratitude to the U.S. leadership".

Additional Information

Russian President's Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev confirmed that Trump made the decision to free "all Russians" who were on board the tanker Marinera.

Recall that on January 7, the USA captured an oil tanker flying the Russian tricolor. U.S. military seized the Marinera (formerly known as Bella 1) while it was sailing between Iceland and Scotland towards Russia.

After this, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov appealed to the USA with a demand to "immediately return" the Russian citizens from the vessel. He also called for ensuring "humane treatment" of the crew members and respecting their rights.

This incident has already caused tension in relations between Russia and the USA, as the capture of the tanker became an occasion for diplomatic talks and protests from Russia. The release of the Russian citizens may be a step toward reducing tension, but further developments will depend on the reaction of both sides and their willingness to find a compromise.