Russia’s chilling nuclear WW3 risk after UK helps US seize ‘ghost fleet’ tanker
A Russian Duma member has issued a chilling threat to the US after British forces supported American seizure of an oil tanker, and suggested nuclear weapons could even be deployed
A prominent figure in the Russian Duma delivered a bone-chilling warning to America after the capture of two oil tankers suspected of being part of the notorious “shadow fleet”. Aleksey Zhuravlyov, the first deputy chairman of the defence committee, went as far as threatening nuclear retaliation in line with the nation’s ” military doctrine”.
He compared the seizure of the Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, to “an assault on Russian soil” given it was sailing beneath the Russian colours.
“We need to provide a military response: attack with torpedoes or sink a couple of American boats. This is nothing more than piracy: the seizure of a civilian vessel by the armed US Navy.
“It is essentially the same as an attack on Russian territory, since the tanker was flying our national flag.”, reports the Express.
“There is no doubt that we must respond firmly and swiftly-our military doctrine even envisages the use of nuclear weapons in response to such an attack.
“Especially since, according to available information, a Russian submarine and some other Russian military ships were located somewhere near the vessel.”
The Marinera has faced intense examination since last month, when American Coast Guard officials tried to board the vessel in Caribbean waters following a warrant over alleged breaches of US sanctions and accusations the ship had been carrying Iranian crude.
The mission collapsed when the tanker abruptly altered its route, switched its identity, and switched flags from Guyana to Russia. The vessel’s journey towards Europe was marked by the deployment of approximately 10 US transport aircraft and helicopters before it was intercepted.
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that British forces played a role in today’s seizure of the Marinera. The statement read: “The UK has provided enabling support to the United States at their request to interdict the vessel Bella 1 today.
“UK Armed Forces provided pre-planned operational support, including basing, to U.S. military assets interdicting the Bella 1 in the UK-Iceland-Greenland gap following a U.S. request for assistance.
“RFA Tideforce provided support for U.S. forces pursuing and interdicting the Bella 1, while the RAF provided surveillance support from the air.
“The UK and U.S. defence and security relationship is the deepest in the world and the UK provided enabling support in full compliance with international law.”
At an emergency meeting in the House of Commons tonight, Defence Secretary John Healey said the UK’s support of the US operation to seize the Marinera tanker was “protecting the British people and our nation”.
He argued that Iran is a “persistent danger” to the UK, including espionage and cyber threats, as well as assassination attempts on British soil, while Russia is co-ordinating a “pattern of flagrant maritime activity”.
He said: “By assisting our US allies in taking this ship off the seas, we are protecting the British people and our nation.
“So this is a stark reminder that our world is changing. It is less predictable and more dangerous, and this operation and the shadow fleet show the global links between the security threats faced by the UK and its allies.
“And the shadow fleet itself is vital to Putin’s ongoing illegal invasion of war in Ukraine.”
