Seizure of Russian ship Mariner: US violated international law, says Russia, demand raised to sink US Coast Guard vessels, China also opposes US action
Three Indian citizens were among those on board the Russian ship Mariner, which was seized by the US on Wednesday. This information was reported by the Russian news agency Russia Today, citing sources.
According to the report, there were a total of 28 people on board the Mariner. These included 17 Ukrainians, 6 Georgians, 3 Indians, and 2 Russian citizens. The US alleges that the ship was carrying oil from Venezuela and had violated US sanctions.
Meanwhile, the US European Command said that the tanker was seized on the order of a US federal court. The US Coast Guard had been monitoring the ship for some time. The US claims that the ship was deliberately evading them.
Russia says the US violated international law
Russia has strongly protested this action. The Russian Ministry of Transport said that US forces stopped the ship in international waters, where no single country has jurisdiction. This is a violation of international maritime law.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the US had already been informed that the ship was Russian and was being used for civilian purposes. Russia demanded that the Russian citizens on board be treated properly and allowed to return home safely.
Following the seizure of the ship, Russian Member of Parliament Alexei Zhuravlev said that President Putin should launch a nuclear attack and sink the US Coast Guard vessels.
China also opposes US action
China has also criticized the US action. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that it opposes unilateral sanctions imposed without the permission of the United Nations. A former Austrian Foreign Minister and a former US military official have also called the action a violation of international law.