US seizes Russian shadow fleet tanker Sagitta
The tanker belongs to Russia’s shadow fleet (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The US Armed Forces detained the oil tanker Sagitta in the Caribbean Sea. The vessel is under sanctions and is part of Russia’s shadow fleet, according to a post by US Southern Command on the social media platform X.
The command said that as part of Operation Southern Spear, the Department of War (the Pentagon) remains steadfast in its mission to suppress illegal activity in the Western Hemisphere, in partnership with the US Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice.
“This morning, U.S. military forces, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended Motor Vessel Sagitta without incident. The apprehension of another tanker operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully,” the statement said.
Through #OpSouthernSpear, the @DeptofWar is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere in partnership with @USCG, @DHSgov and @TheJusticeDept.
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) January 20, 2026
This morning, U.S. military forces, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended… pic.twitter.com/UPADtiw681
The War Sanction website states that the oil tanker Sagitta, seized by the US, is part of Russia’s shadow fleet and is under sanctions imposed by Ukraine, the UK, the US, Canada, the EU, Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand.
The tanker belongs to Russia’s shadow fleet (Photo: War Sanction websitу)
The vessel’s profile states that during the period of the G7+ embargo and the price-cap policy on Russian oil and petroleum products, the tanker was involved in exporting Russian oil and petroleum products from Russian ports in the Baltic Sea and the Pacific region, mainly to China and India, and that it resorted to switching off its AIS signal and engaging in so-called dark activity at sea.
The portal also notes that the international environmental organization Greenpeace classifies the tanker as part of the shadow fleet of tankers transporting Russian oil worldwide and as posing a threat to the environment.
Seizure of tankers
On January 15, US Southern Command said its forces had seized the sanctioned tanker Veronica, which is linked to Venezuela. This was already the sixth such case in recent times.
Earlier, on January 7, US forces detained the Russian vessel Bella 1 (now Marinera) in the North Atlantic. The detention was due to violations of US sanctions.
On the same day, January 7, it also became known that the US had seized another tanker from Russia’s shadow fleet in the Caribbean Sea - the vessel Sophia.
Notably, US President Donald Trump recently commented on the seizure of the tanker Mariners. He confirmed the interception and said that the United States was already unloading oil from it.
