Russian MP Warns Of Nuclear Response, Says Sinking American Coast Guard Ships Only Way To ‘Stop US’

A senior Russian lawmaker has warned the United States of military retaliation, including the possible use of nuclear weapons, after US forces seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic Ocean earlier this week.

Alexei Zhuravlev, first deputy chairman of Russia’s State Duma Committee on Defence, reacted strongly to the US interception of the oil tanker Marinera, previously known as Bella 1, on January 7.

He described the operation as an act of piracy and claimed it was equivalent to an attack on Russian territory because the vessel was sailing under the Russian flag.

In a message shared on Telegram, Zhuravlev was reported to have said that Moscow should respond with military force. He suggested that Russian forces should use torpedoes to sink US Coast Guard vessels involved in the operation, arguing that such steps would be needed to deter Washington.

The lawmaker also referred to Russia’s military doctrine, stating that it allows for the use of nuclear weapons in response to attacks on Russia’s national interests.

Zhuravlev also claimed that Russian naval assets, including a submarine and other warships, were operating near the tanker at the time it was seized. He accused the United States of acting with impunity, linking the tanker seizure to recent US operations near Venezuela.

The remarks have been seen as a serious escalation, especially given that both Russia and the United States possess large nuclear arsenals.

The tanker was seized by US military forces in the North Atlantic after being tracked for several weeks. According to US European Command, the vessel had violated US sanctions and was monitored by the US Coast Guard cutter Munro before the seizure. The command said the operation was carried out under a warrant issued by a US federal court.

Originally named Bella 1, the tanker was sanctioned in 2024 and later renamed Marinera. It had reportedly evaded a US blockade of sanctioned oil tankers operating near Venezuela for more than two weeks before it was intercepted.

Following the seizure, Russia strongly condemned the action. In a Telegram statement, Russia’s Ministry of Transport said the tanker had received a temporary permit to sail under the Russian Federation flag on December 24, 2025.

The ministry said the vessel was boarded by US naval forces while operating on the high seas, outside the territorial waters of any country, after which contact with the tanker was lost.

References: ANI, timesnownews

Source: Maritime Shipping News