US Navy forces all Russian shadow fleet ships to make a U-turn and retreat from Atlantic routes

The United States has sharply escalated sanctions enforcement by actively seizing shadow fleet tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, signaling a shift from passive monitoring to direct maritime interdiction. The seizure of a sanctioned tanker off Venezuela, carried out by US forces in international waters, sent an immediate shock through networks used by both Caracas and Moscow to bypass sanctions. Washington reinforced the message with a naval buildup in the Caribbean and a declaration that sanctioned vessels entering or leaving Venezuela will be stopped. This move rattled Russia, whose sanctioned tankers abruptly turned away from the region, with crews unwilling to risk interception by US forces. Although Russia has begun placing armed personnel aboard some shadow fleet vessels elsewhere, this has not translated into a willingness to challenge US naval power in the Caribbean. Overall, the blockade strikes at a shared economic lifeline for Russia and Venezuela, tightening pressure on their sanctions-evasion systems and accelerating the erosion of their oil revenues.

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