In what can only be described as straight out of a Cold War techno-thriller, The Hunt for Red October vibes, the U.S. Coast Guard is chasing a rusting oil tanker formerly known as Bella 1, now renamed Marinera, flying the Russian flag about 300 miles south of Iceland as it heads toward the North Sea.

On Tuesday, Russian outlet RT News posted an exclusive video on X showing Marinera being chased by a U.S. Coast Guard cutter in the North Atlantic.

The Wall Street Journal then reported overnight that Russia is countering the Trump administration’s attempt to seize Marinera by deploying a submarine and other warships to escort the allegedly now-empty tanker.

The chase in the North Atlantic follows last month’s incident near Venezuelan waters, when the tanker - then stateless and flying a false flag - was subject to a U.S. judicial seizure order. As the Coast Guard attempted to board, the crew switched the ship’s registration to Russia, prompting Moscow to demand that the U.S. halt its pursuit.

Trump’s gunboat diplomacy in the Caribbean, along with a broader push for Western Hemisphere defense - what some have called the “Don-roe Doctrine” - has set the tone for the year: U.S. forces intend to control the seas in the Americas, not China and not Russia.

One key question is why Washington is hyper-focused on this particular tanker, given that the global dark fleet numbers more than 1,000 tankers hauling sanctioned crude worldwide. The ship’s quick registration in Russia, without inspection or formalities, may only suggest that the tanker, which departed Venezuelan waters, could be carrying other cargo bound for Russia.