MOSCOW -- Two Russian sailors from the seized Marinera oil tanker have been released and are on their way back to Russia, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

"Two Russian sailors have been released and are on their way back to Russia," Zakharova said in response to a question about the Marinera tanker.

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The seizure of the Russian-flagged Marinera tanker by US military personnel constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international maritime law, the Russian foreign ministry said in early January.

On Jan 7, the US European Command said it has seized an empty oil tanker linked with Venezuela and registered as a Russian vessel in the North Atlantic.