US to Release Russian Crew of Seized Venezuelan Oil Tanker; Fate of Three Indians Remains Uncertain

: The United States has decided to release Russian nationals from the crew of the oil tanker Marinera, seized near the Venezuelan coast in the North Atlantic. The decision has been welcomed by Moscow.

The tanker’s crew also includes three Indian nationals, whose fate remains uncertain, as the US plans to initiate legal proceedings against them. In addition, the vessel carried 17 Ukrainian and six Georgian citizens, though no announcement has been made regarding their release.

According to the US Coast Guard, the Russian-flagged tanker, formerly known as Bela-1, was seized on Wednesday during a law enforcement operation. At the time of the seizure, the crew comprised 17 Ukrainians, six Georgians, three Indians, and two Russians. Following the seizure, the White House had indicated that the crew would face charges in a US federal court.

The US had previously sanctioned the vessel in 2024 for transporting goods on behalf of a Hezbollah-linked company.

Responding to the release of its nationals, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated, “In response to our request, US President Donald Trump has decided to release two Russian citizens from the crew of Marinera. We welcome this decision and thank the US leadership.” She added that Moscow is working to ensure the swift return of its citizens but did not comment on the other crew members.

This announcement comes a day after Russia urged the US to respect international maritime law and rejected what it called Washington’s “neo-colonial” tendencies.