US agrees to release two Russian crew members from seized tanker Marinera

US President Donald Trump has agreed to release two Russian crew members from the Marinera, the Russian-flagged oil tanker that was seized by the US military in the North Atlantic on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced on Friday.

The decision came following an appeal by the Russian Foreign Ministry, according to its spokesperson Maria Zakharova. “We welcome this decision and express our gratitude to the leadership of the United States,” Zakharova said, adding that Russia’s Foreign Ministry was seeking ways to ensure the speedy return of its sailors.

The US pursuit of the vessel — then called the Bella 1 — began in December when the tanker made an unsuccessful attempt to dock in Venezuela while sailing under the flag of Guyana, which according to the International Maritime Organisation database was “false”.

Days later, mid-pursuit, the ship changed its flag to a Russian one, and its name to Marinera. According to Reuters, the tanker was being escorted by a Russian military submarine when it was seized.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused the Marinera of trying to bypass US sanctions, and was seized on the basis of a warrant issued by an American court. She said on Wednesday the crew would be brought to the US for trial “if necessary”.

Novaya Europe has since discovered that the Marinera tanker is owned by Russian company Burevestmarin, which is run by Ilya Bugay, an entrepreneur from Russian- annexed Crimea. According to his own social media accounts, Bugay graduated from Simferopol’s Crimean Federal University in 2008 and resides in Moscow.