Ukrainian sailor accused of trying to sink $8 million yacht belonging to his boss, a Russian arms exporter, says he has no regrets

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Ukrainian sailor accused of trying to sink $8 million yacht belonging to his boss, a Russian arms exporter, says he has no regrets
Luxury yachts and residences in Port Adriano, a leisure harbor on the south-east coast of the island of Mallorca, Spain. The Lady Anastasia is not pictured.Clara Margais/picture alliance via Getty Images
  • A Ukrainian sailor was arrested on suspicion of sabotaging the yacht of his Russian boss, Ultima Hora reported.
  • The sailor said it was an act of "revenge" for the Ukraine invasion, Ultima Hora reported.
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A Ukrainian sailor accused of trying to sink an $8 million luxury yacht belonging to his Russian boss said he did it as revenge for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and had no regrets, the Ultima Hora newspaper reported on Sunday.

The sailor, identified in court documents as 55-year-old D.Taras O., had worked on the yacht as an engineer for 10 years, Ultima Hora reported.

After watching a video of a Russian helicopter attack on a civilian building in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Saturday, the sailor said he decided to take "revenge" by attempting to sink the yacht, according to court documents cited in Ultima Hora.

The boat, named the Lady Anastasia, was anchored in Port Adriano, a super-yacht port in Mallorca, Spain.

It belonged to Alexander Mijeev, the CEO of Rosoboronexport, a major Russian military weapons company, Ultima Hora reported.

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Rosoboronexport's parent company is Rostec, Russia's biggest defense conglomerate founded by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2007.

It is not clear if Rosoboronexport or Rostec had a role in the recent invasion. Rostec was sanctioned by the UK and US last week.

To sink the boat, the sailor said he opened one valve in the engine room and another valve in the crew quarters, Ultima Hora reported, citing court documents.

He then told three other crew members, also Ukrainians, to abandon the ship, Ultima Hora reported.

The yacht was left with a destroyed engine room, and the sailor later handed himself over to law enforcement, the report said.

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Upon his arrest, he told Spanish authorities: "The owner of this ship is a criminal who makes his living selling weapons and now they kill Ukrainians."

In a court statement, cited by Ultima Hora, the sailor said he did not regret "anything" and that he "would do it again." He also said he wanted to cause "only material damage, not personal damage," per Ultima Hora.

The sailor was given a charge but was released by the judge, Ultima Hora reported. The exact charge is unclear.

Monday is the fifth day of Putin's all-out invasion of Ukraine. Insider's live blog of the invasion is covering developments as they happen.

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