News

Common in a number of foreign and Russian mass media sources information about alleged "secret mission of the Artic Sea " and concealment of truthful information about the criminal investigation of the kidnapping of crew members and piracy is not truthful.

The Investigative Committee reported that all the information about the investigation of criminal cases in accordance with the requirements of Russian legislation is timely provided to the media.

Currently, the investigation does not have any information that the vessel could carry any prohibited cargo. Within the criminal cases requests for investigative action are being prepared and will be sent to the competent authorities of interested countries, particularly to Sweden, Finland, Malta and other countries. In accordance with the norms of international maritime law Malta, as the flag state, will be informed on any investigative actions aboard the ship Artic Sea.

The investigators intend to clarify the circumstances and identify all those involved in the crime.

Information about the alleged isolation of victims and their inability to communicate with families is not true. The rights of victims are not violated in any way. Upon arrival in Moscow they were provided with clothes, food and other necessities, and were accommodated in one of hotels in the capital. They did have and still have the possibility to connect and communicate with families and friends. They use these possibilities as they please. Due to the fact that it is technically impossible to perform certain investigative actions in a short time, the victims will remain in the capital until their ending.

Every day, the investigators question both suspects and victims. Currently in the Investigative Committee building several suspects are being questioned. In the near future the investigators are going to charge 8 suspects with crimes under paragraph "a", part 3, article 126 of the Criminal Code and article 227 of the Criminal Code (kidnapping and piracy, committed by an organized group).

In order to establish all the circumstances of the crime the investigators are going to find out what cargo the ship Arctic Sea was carrying. Due to the fact that the vessel can be examined only after imposing an arrest the Investigative Committee released a petition for the court to arrest the vessel. Today, this petition was indorsed. Thus, the ship Artic Sea under the flag of Malta is currently under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation, represented by the commander of Russian military ships as it was released by Russian warships and in compliance with international law and a court decision. In the near future the investigators of the Investigative Committee will examine the vessel.