[Salon] U.S. seizes Russian-flagged tankers -

[Salon] U.S. seizes Russian-flagged tankers Inbox Chas Freeman via Salon 10:24 AM (0 minutes ago) to salon BBC Edited by Jake Lapham, Ben Hatton and Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith Russia has lost communication with Marinera, transport ministry sayspublished at 10:17 10:17 Vitaly Shevchenko BBC Monitoring's Russia editor The Russian transport ministry says "no state has the right to use force against vessels properly registered in other countries' jurisdictions". It adds US forces boarded the Marinera at about 15:00 Moscow time [1200 GMT], after which communications with the vessel were lost. On 24 December, the Marinera received a "temporary permission" to sail under the Russian flag, the ministry adds. US Coast Guard boarded two tankers, says Homeland Security Secretarypublished at 10:06 10:06 00:37 Media caption, Watch: US seizes Sophia oil tanker in Caribbean sea We can bring you some more details now on the dual operations to seize Venezuela-linked oil tankers, according to US officials. The US Coast Guard boarded two “ghost fleet” tanker ships in a "meticulously coordinated" operation, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says. Noem says one ship was in the North Atlantic Sea while the other was in international waters near the Caribbean. The operations took place within hours of each other, she adds. The tankers, the Marinera and the Sophia—were "either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it", Noem adds. The Marinera has been trying to “evade the Coast Guard for weeks”, she says. Her post includes a short video showing thermal imagery of people appearing to board the Sophia by descending from a helicopter. Around 10 people are then seen on an upper deck of the vessel. Blockade of Venezuelan oil 'in full effect', US defence secretary sayspublished at 09:50 09:50 Pete Hegseth speaking at a microphone wearing a blue suit with Donald Trump behind him