US seizes Russian shadow fleet tanker in Indian Ocean
Operation details
According to the statement, the Aquila II violated a quarantine imposed on sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean. The vessel attempted to flee, and US forces followed it from the Caribbean Sea to the Indian Ocean.
When the @DeptofWar says quarantine, we mean it. Nothing will stop DoW from defending our Homeland — even in oceans halfway around the world.
— Department of War (@DeptofWar) February 9, 2026
Overnight, U.S. military forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding on the Aquila II without incident in the… pic.twitter.com/kYVAQC5io9
Overnight, the US military conducted an inspection, maritime interdiction, and boarding of the vessel in the Indian Ocean. The operation was carried out without incident.
Pentagon issues stern warning
The US Department of War emphasized that no other nation can enforce its will anywhere in the world in the same way the United States can.
"When the Department of War says quarantine, we mean it. By land, air, or sea, our Armed Forces will find you and deliver justice. You will run out of fuel long before you will outrun us," the statement said.
Tanker Aquila II
According to Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR), the Aquila II is part of Russia’s shadow fleet and is affiliated with Sunne Co Limited, a company under US sanctions.
The tanker has been actively involved in exporting sanctioned Russian oil from ports in the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea.
In 2025, sanctions against the vessel were imposed simultaneously by the United States, the United Kingdom, the EU, Canada, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
In January 2026, the tanker became one of the vessels that openly violated the US-imposed naval blockade of Venezuela under Operation Southern Spear. To transport Venezuelan oil and avoid pursuit, the ship used an altered name, Cape Balder.
On January 9, the US Coast Guard detained the tanker Olina. That vessel was also part of the shadow fleet and specialized in exporting sanctioned Russian oil to China, India, and Türkiye, while concealing its flag, including by posing as a ship registered in East Timor.
