The long, useless voyage of the rusty old scow Bella 1, temporarily renamed Marinera to save itself, ended with the release of Russians on board.
Bella 1 has a long, sordid history in transporting sanctioned goods as a ghost tanker for Iran. It was first spotted in mid-December by the United States Coast Guard in the Caribbean while steaming toward Venezuela. The ship was unregistered without a national flag. The US legitimately demanded that they stop for US boarding since it was unregistered. Bella 1 turned tail and ran.
The trans-Atlantic chase was on, with US forces aboard the Coast Guard cutter Munro shadowing the tanker’s progress but lacking sufficient personnel trained in tactical boarding procedures to execute a seizure of the rustbucket.
The Bella 1’s desperate crew sent out multiple distress calls to anyone who’d listen. Some busily painted a Russian flag on the side. Suddenly, out of nowhere, they had a new name and a Russian registration. They were now the Marinera.
Why the Scary Russian Ships?
After the seizure, Russia lodged formal and diplomatic complaints demanding the pursuit end. After all, it was their ship now.
Did they move shadow fleets out of the shadows or just try to help a desperate friend?
The newly Russian ship with an allegedly mostly Caribbean crew took a hard left turn toward the frigid waters of the North Atlantic.
The bucket of bolts steamed into the frozen north and bad weather.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Russians have decided to escalate the situation:
Russia has sent a submarine and other naval assets to escort an empty, rusting oil tanker that has become a new flashpoint in U.S.-Russia relations, according to a U.S. official. …
The US responded with forces, including helicopters, near the UK.
It was then that the US boarded the Bella1/Marinera.
And What? The UK Helped the US After They Dumped Us?
Starmer had stopped sharing British Caribbean region intelligence with the US because of the strikes on the drug-running boats and the tanker seizures. Well, that changed.
The UK military said it provided “pre-planned operational support, including basing”.
Starmer, a weak sister, said they did it all in compliance with international law. So, now this is legal when the UK is involved. Neato.
UK forces supported the US operation, but they were not involved in boarding the vessel, UK Defense Secretary John Healey told MPs.
The Russian ships skedaddled right out of there. Friendship only goes so far.
Q: Did Putin call you after the tanker was seized?
President Trump: I don’t want to say whether Putin called, but the fact is the Russian ships – a submarine and a destroyer – both left very quickly when we arrived. pic.twitter.com/qI9jgqKDEz
— Defense Intelligence (@DI313_) January 9, 2026
Armed Guards or Just a Couple of Russians?
Windward maritime intelligence analyst Michelle Wiese Bockmann claimed the Marinera’s ownership had just been transferred to Burevestmarin LLC, a Russian company.
She thinks NATO and the Nordic-Baltic 8+ group of governments have been “worried” about sanctioned oil tankers with unauthorized personnel onboard, including “armed guards.”
Reflagged by Russia, spied on by the UK, seized by the US, and the massive, beaten-up ship was carrying what?
It wasn’t oil in that there tanker.
The Marinera has been under sanctions from the US Treasury since June 2024 over accusations of carrying illicit cargo for Hezbollah.
Why the excitement over this tanker?
Sounds like there were Russians onboard the Bella 1/Marinera, and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs very quickly issued a statement saying they want them returned to Russia ASAP.
How interesting. Guys, who do you think these Russians are that were onboard this tanker?🤔 pic.twitter.com/oEv8ctf3l1
— Maria Drutska 🇺🇦 (@maria_drutska) January 7, 2026
Russia Is Happy Now
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday that there were two Russian crew members on board.
In a statement, Maria Zakharova, the ministry’s spokeswoman, said: “We welcome this decision and express our gratitude to the U.S. leadership.
They were angry at first, but calmed down when the US returned the two Russian “crew” members. They also said the tanker had only received temporary permission to fly the Russian flag.
So, what’s the story? It sounds like they had Russian spies aboard. Did they ditch spy equipment in the frigid North? We’ll never know.
Russia has its spies back, and the US is the proud owner of a rusty rattletrap, and an annoying troublemaker is no longer at sea. The US can sell it for parts.
Onward to Mexico
Meanwhile, undaunted President Trump is going to hit Mexican cartels next.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump stated during tonight’s interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, that special operations and land strikes are going to begin soon against the Cartels in Mexico. Talks with the Mexican Government regarding such operations have been ongoing now for… pic.twitter.com/rAIiTJS7aR
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 9, 2026
Drydock and overhaul the old rusty tub and use it to sell Venezuelan oil to friendly countries (but not China and North Korea). Hopefully the Iranian people kick their Ayatolla out so China has no place left to buy oil except Russia.
It seems that the leftist globalist Starmer does not like when the USA protects itself from the globalist drug trade, but when it some to increasing conflicts with Russia to cause WW3, he is all for it. Hail globalism.
The USA certainly did not need any help to track an old rusty ship.
TRUMP SECURES ANOTHER ROGUE/ILLEGAL TANKER OF OIL FOR AMERICA. OMG !!! MORE “AWASH” !!!!! $1/GAL GAS IS ON THE WAY !!!
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