A senior Russian lawmaker has issued a stark nuclear threat against the United States following the seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker by US forces in the North Atlantic.

Alexei Zhuravlev, first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defence, branded the incident "outright piracy" and equated it to an attack on Russian territory, given the vessel's flag.

Zhuravlev urged Moscow to respond militarily by torpedoing and sinking American Coast Guard cutters involved in the operation. He argued that such action would deliver a "slap on the nose" to the US, which he accused of acting with impunity after recent activities in Venezuela. He further invoked Russia's military doctrine, which permits nuclear weapons in defence of national interests.

The tanker, Marinera—formerly Bella 1—was seized on 7 January after evading a US blockade of sanctioned oil tankers near Venezuela. US European Command confirmed the operation, stating it followed a federal court warrant due to sanctions violations dating back to 2024. A US Coast Guard cutter, Munro, had tracked the vessel for weeks.

Russia's Ministry of Transport condemned the boarding, which occurred on the high seas outside any territorial waters. It emphasised that the Marinera received a temporary Russian flag permit on 24 December 2025, in line with national and international law. The ministry invoked the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, affirming freedom of navigation and prohibiting force against registered foreign vessels.

Reports indicate Russian naval assets, including a submarine, were nearby during the incident, heightening tensions. Moscow has lost contact with the tanker post-seizure. Zhuravlev's rhetoric marks a sharp escalation amid both nations' nuclear capabilities.

Based On ANI Report