Several deputies from the State Duma of Russia have called for harsh military measures against the USA and Europe, after a tanker under the Russian flag was detained by American forces in the Atlantic Ocean. According to them, the Russian army should “start sinking American ships” and strike Europe with Oreshnik missiles, in response to the capture of the Mariner tanker by American soldiers, reports The Moscow Times.
Deputy Alexei Juravliov, vice-president of the Defense Committee in the State Duma, described the action of the United States as “piracy” and an act equivalent to an attack on Russian territory.
In turn, Deputy Andrei Guruliov said that the operation against the Mariner tanker is part of the West’s preparation for a large-scale war and that Russia must act preventively, destroying “the enemy’s logistics” by any means, including the use of Oreshnik missiles.
“What prevents us from hitting, for example, Rheinmetall, which produces ammunition for Ukraine? Nothing prevents us,” Guruliov declared. “And then the ammunition will run out. We need political will to block all channels.”
According to reports, the Mariner tanker, which had left Venezuela and had changed its flag at sea, passing under the Russian flag, was detained by the US coast guard, with the support of the American navy, in an area between the UK and Iceland, despite Moscow’s requests to stop pursuing the ship.
According to the European Command of the American armed forces, the ship was detained for violating sanctions imposed by the United States, based on a warrant issued by a US federal court. The tanker was heading towards Murmansk.
According to Reuters, Russia sent a submarine and military ships to escort the tanker, but they did not prevent its capture. The ship had left Venezuela under a false flag, initially being registered in Guyana.
The White House spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, declared that the ship’s crew, including Russian citizens, will be brought to trial.