The court has found evidence collected by the General Investigative Office of the Investigative Committee sufficient to convict Dmitry Savins. He was found guilty of committing a crime under part 3, article 227 of the Criminal Code (piracy).

Savins had organized a criminal group, which at night from 24 to 25 July, 2009 hijacked the MV Arctic Sea with a Russian crew aboard. During the criminal investigation Savins fully admitted his guilt of the crime.

The Moscow City Court sentenced Savins to 7 years in prison. He will serve the sentence in a high security colony.

The information that Eric Cross had ordered to hijack the MV Arctic Sea was obtained during a criminal investigation against the organizers of hijacking Dmitry Savins, who confirmed this information in court. In addition, he testified that Sergey Demchenko and Aleksey Kertsbur participated in the organization of hijacking of the Artic Sea.

The General Investigative Office sent requests in respect of above mentioned persons for legal assistance in a number of foreign countries in order to establish their whereabouts and conduct investigation designed to establish all the circumstances of the hijacking of the MV Artic Sea.

8 people are currently arraigned on the hijacking of the MV Artic Sea. Two of them are convicted and 6 other people will soon be charged with a crime under part 3, article 227 of the Criminal Code (piracy).