US Army confirms detention of another Russian shadow fleet tanker
Illustrative photo: US military detains tanker Olina (flickr by davidpearson8)
US military personnel have detained another tanker from Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, the Olina. The incident occurred in the Caribbean Sea, according to the US Southern Command in a post on X.
"In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford and apprehended Motor/Tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea without incident," the command said in a statement.
Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: “there is no safe haven for criminals.”
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) January 9, 2026
In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS Gerald R.… pic.twitter.com/StHo4ufcdx
They added that the detention of the tanker sent a clear signal: "There is no safe haven for criminals."
The command emphasized that Operation Southern Spear remains steadfast in its mission to protect the United States by stopping illegal activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere.
Detention of two tankers
It should be recalled that earlier this week, the Americans had already detained two tankers linked to Russia.
In particular, the tanker Marinera, sailing under a Russian flag, was detained between Iceland and the British Isles. The operation was carried out by the US Coast Guard, which had been tracking the vessel for several weeks.
On the same day, the Russian shadow fleet tanker Sophia was also detained in the Caribbean Sea.
Against this backdrop, Russian officials began complaining about "piracy” and “violations of international law.” One Russian State Duma lawmaker hysterically demanded strikes against US ships.
At the same time, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said after these US operations that Washington hopes relations between US President Donald Trump and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will remain “good.”
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