Russian Oil Tanker Changes Course Following U.S. Warship Obstruction

A Russian oil tanker reportedly altered its route after encountering a U.S. warship near the coast of Venezuela, as detailed by Bloomberg on Friday.

The vessel named Seahorse was attempting to approach Venezuela when the USS Stockdale, an Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyer, was said to be in its path. It had been on its way to deliver fuel on November 13.

After the reported obstruction, the Seahorse decided to head towards Cuba while the Stockdale moved toward Puerto Rico. Notably, the tanker had tried to reach Venezuela twice before, only to turn back and remain “idling in the Caribbean,” according to Bloomberg.

“The tanker unloaded its cargo in late October and was returning to Venezuela when the U.S. ship appeared,” Bloomberg mentioned. “Such maneuvers are unusual, as Russian fuel ships normally don’t reverse direction or idle along the well-traveled route between Cuba and Venezuela.”

There is some ambiguity about the U.S. warship’s intentions toward the Russian vessel, and a spokesperson from U.S. Southern Command chose not to comment on the situation.

The Stockdale is part of several U.S. military vessels stationed in international waters in the Caribbean, acting under President Trump’s ongoing strategy to combat drug trafficking in the region. Last week, the USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in America’s fleet, was involved in operations aimed at addressing drug cartels.

Representatives from the U.S., Russia, and Venezuela have not responded to inquiries, as per Bloomberg.

Venezuela’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, has alleged—without providing proof—that U.S. military operations against drug trafficking are actually attempts to depose him and seize Venezuela’s oil and resources. Maduro himself is under scrutiny as U.S. authorities have charged him with multiple drug-related offenses.

According to the report, the sanctioned Russian ship Seahorse is one of four vessels ferrying naphtha to Venezuela. This petroleum product is essential for diluting heavy crude oil, making it suitable for export.

A report from October indicated that Russia had become Venezuela’s primary supplier of naphtha after the U.S. halted its shipments, reducing them to “zero” between March and October 2025. Previously, during the Biden administration, some shipments had continued but were eventually stopped due to the “maximum pressure” policy against Maduro.

As of July, it was reported that Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, was in the process of unloading 700,000 barrels of Russian-produced heavy naphtha.