SBU charges Russian admiral Pinchuk in absentia over seizure of Ukrainian ship Sapphire

The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has collected evidence against Russian Admiral Sergei Pinchuk, commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

"As the investigation established, on February 26, 2022, on his orders, the occupiers seized the Ukrainian search and rescue vessel Sapphire, which was carrying out a humanitarian mission in the area of Zmiiniy Island. That day, the occupiers illegally stopped and blocked the civilian ship off the coast of the Ukrainian island. After that, the occupiers entered the deck and, threatening with machine guns, imprisoned all 19 crew members, as well as a priest and a doctor who were on board," the SBU said in a Telegram message.

According to information, part of the Ukrainian team was transferred to a tugboat of the Russian Navy, all the others were held on the island temporarily captured at that time. "The racists applied psychological pressure to all the prisoners and threatened them with physical violence, in particular, they simulated 'shootings' of the victims," the SBU added.

"During this torture, Pinchuk personally arrived at Zmiiniy, where he participated in the interrogation of the captain of the Sapphire, and later ordered the victims to be transported together with a rescue ship to Crimea, and then to Russia," the law enforcement officers reported.

Based on the collected evidence, the SBU investigators in absentia informed Pinchuk of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (war crimes committed by a group of persons in advance of a conspiracy).

The investigation was conducted by the SBU officers in the Odesa region together with the National Police under the procedural guidance of the regional prosecutor's office.

As reported, on July 9 of this year, according to materials from the Security Service, two officers of the Russian Black Sea Fleet were suspected in absentia of cruel treatment of civilians - they captured and illegally detained the crew of the Sapphire.