The crew of the Russian patrol ship Vasily Bykov opened warning fire to inspect a Palau-flagged dry cargo ship moving to the Ukrainian port of Izmail in the Black Sea, the Russian Defense Ministry has said.
"On August 13, about 6:40 am Moscow time [3:40 GMT] patrol ship of the Black Sea Fleet Vasily Bykov, which carried out control of navigation in the south-western Black Sea, detected a dry cargo ship Sukra Okan under the flag of Palau, which was going to the Ukrainian port of Izmail," the statement read.
The ministry noted that the captain of the ship failed to respond to the demand to stop for inspection for transportation of prohibited goods. In this regard, Russian sailors opened warning fire from automatic small arms to forcibly stop the vessel.
"In order to examine the dry cargo ship, a Ka-29 helicopter with a group of Russian military personnel was hoisted from the patrol ship Vasily Bykov. Following the radio conversations, the ship stopped its course and the inspection team boarded the dry cargo ship," the Russian Defense Ministry added.
The Defense Ministry specified that the vessel continued to the port of Izmail after the completion of the inspection.
The Black Sea Fleet ships continue to patrol the waters, authorities concluded.