US releases Russian sailors – Moscow

The two crewmembers were captured aboard oil tanker the Marinera, which had reportedly attempted to travel to Venezuela

US authorities have released two Russian sailors who were captured earlier this month as part of Washington’s enforcement of sanctions against Venezuela, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said.

The sailors were part of the crew of the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, which was seized on January 7 in the North Atlantic after being tracked by the US from the Caribbean Sea. US officials have accused the vessel, chartered by a private trader, of violating oil sanctions against Venezuela.

The Marinera had a crew of 28, including six Georgian nationals, 17 Ukrainians, three Indians, and two Russians, according to media reports.

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Moscow condemned the seizure as a serious violation of international maritime law and demanded that the US release the detained sailors.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Zakharova confirmed that “the two sailors have been freed and are on their way back to Russia.”

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