The US seized the Russian "soy fleet" tanker in the Caribbean

On January 9, the US seized another oil tanker that may be linked to Russia's "shadow fleet." This was reported by Zamin.uz.

The vessel named Olina was stopped in the Caribbean Sea near Trinidad and was taken under control during an operation conducted by the US Coast Guard. This was officially announced by the US Southern Command.

According to the command, the "Southern Spear" rapid response team and marines successfully seized the tanker without any resistance. The operation was supported by the USS Gerald R.

Ford aircraft carrier and other US ships. Investigations revealed that the registration number of the Olina tanker matches that of the Minerva M tanker, which was sanctioned by the US in 2025.

Minerva M was part of the "shadow fleet" used to transport Russian oil in violation of Western restrictions. According to the US government, tankers involved in exporting oil from Venezuela, including those of the "shadow fleet," are the primary targets of these operations.

Seventy percent of Venezuela's oil exports are carried out through the "shadow fleet." Through these operations against Russia and Venezuela, the US aims to restrict their illegal activities, and these measures are yielding results.