Russia-U.S. tensions surged after American forces seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker linked to Venezuela’s shadow fleet during coordinated operations in the Atlantic and Caribbean on January 7. Moscow denounced the move as “piracy,” with senior Russian lawmaker Aleksey Zhuravlyov warning of a possible military response, even invoking Russia’s nuclear doctrine. The seizure followed Nicolás Maduro’s arrest, which Russian officials claimed emboldened Washington. The White House said the vessel was stateless and operated under a false flag, while Russia insisted it had temporary authorization. The standoff has heightened fears of escalation amid already volatile geopolitical fault lines.