Reports of the planned interception come amid increasingly tense relations between Washington and Moscow, as the U.S. continues to broker a peace deal in Ukraine.

Two U.S. intelligence officials said Venezuelan officials had discussed placing Soviet-era defense systems and armed military personnel on tankers — disguising them as civilians for defense purposes.

Russia requested this week that the United States end its pursuit of the vessel, which was intercepted in the Caribbean on its way to pick up oil in Venezuela.

Bella 1, a ship with Russian protection that is being tracked by the U.S. Coast Guard, is heading northeast in the North Atlantic Ocean.

The US Coast Guard was pursuing another allegedly sanctioned tanker on Sunday, a US official told AFP, as Washington ramps up its pressure campaign targeting Venezuela's vital oil sector.

Tanker loading in Venezuela dwindled on Monday, following U.S. action against two more ships and as state-run energy company PDVSA struggles to recover from a cyberattack.

The U.S. Coast Guard is still in pursuit of an oil tanker over a week after they first tried to intercept the ship. U.S. officials said the tanker now has a painted Russian flag on its side in an attempt to draw protection from Moscow.