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US Forces Board Tanker Linked to Venezuela

Published January 9, 2026, 14:11
US Forces Board Tanker Linked to Venezuela

The US Coast Guard boarded a fifth tanker, the Olina, which had previously been sanctioned for transporting Russian oil. This move is part of a broader US effort to enforce the ban on sanctioned vessels traveling to and from Venezuela, as well as to counter the “shadow Russian fleet.” Approximately 70% of Venezuela’s oil exports rely on vessels circumventing US sanctions. The seizure of the Olina could escalate tensions between Washington and Moscow.