Russia has reportedly dispatched a submarine and several naval vessels to escort an oil tanker being pursued by the US Coast Guard in the North Atlantic on Wednesday.

According to reports, the tanker is en route to the Russian port of Murmansk.

US military aircraft were tracked over the North Atlantic earlier in the day, moving towards the tanker, identified as the Marinera.

Two US officials told CBS News that American forces were preparing to board the vessel, with Washington preferring seizure over sinking the vessel.

Footage released by Russia Today, reportedly filmed onboard a tanker, shows a vessel in the distance resembling a US Coast Guard Legend-class cutter.

The ship is currently sailing between Iceland and the British Isles.  Washington has accused the vessel of violating US sanctions by transporting Iranian oil.

The tanker’s transit into European waters has coincided with the arrival of around 10 US military transport aircraft and several helicopters in the United Kingdom, raising concerns over a broader military escalation.

Formerly known as Bella 1, the tanker has been renamed Marinera and reportedly reflagged from Guyana to the Russian Federation. The vessel has previously transported Venezuelan crude oil, though it is currently reported to be empty.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it is “monitoring with concern” the situation surrounding the tanker.

“At present, our vessel is sailing in international waters of the North Atlantic under the state flag of the Russian Federation and in full compliance with international maritime law,” the ministry added,

“For reasons unclear to us, the Russian ship is being subjected to increased and clearly disproportionate attention by the US and NATO military, despite its peaceful status,” it said, adding that Moscow expects Western states to respect freedom of navigation.

Under international law, vessels sailing under a national flag fall under the protection of that state.

PressTV report