Defense Ministry: Arctic Sea crew, hijackers being flown to Moscow on Russian air force planes

September 8th, 2009 Russian FM denies S-300 missiles on hijacked shipMOSCOW — Russia's foreign minister on Tuesday rejected speculation that a hijacked Russian-crewed freighter was carrying S-300 missiles possibly destined for Iran. Russia said the freighter Arctic Sea was seized by pirates in the Baltic Sea in late July after leaving a Finnish port.

August 30th, 2009 Reports: Arctic Sea crewmen home after questioningMOSCOW — Russian media are reporting that Arctic Sea crew members have returned home after being held in Moscow for questioning about the freighter's mysterious voyage. NTV television says 11 crewmen arrived Saturday in the northern city of Arkhangelsk.

August 27th, 2009 Russia charges 8 in Arctic Sea caseMOSCOW — Russia has formally filed criminal charges against eight alleged hijackers of the freighter Arctic Sea, whose voyage is still heavily shrouded in mystery. The General Prosecutor's Investigative Committee said Thursday seven of the suspects are being charged with kidnapping and piracy and the eighth with organizing the crimes.

August 26th, 2009 Russia to seek help probing Arctic Sea mysteryMOSCOW — Russian authorities say they will ask other nations to help answer questions about a freighter embroiled in a high-seas mystery. But an official suggests Russia wants firm control of the probe into the voyage of the Arctic Sea and its alleged hijacking.

August 25th, 2009 Report: Russian questions freighter cargoMOSCOW — Russia's top investigator said it is possible a freighter embroiled in a high-seas mystery was carrying more than just timber, the Interfax news agency reported Tuesday. The reported comment by federal Investigative Committee Chief Alexander Bastrykin is the first suggestion by a Russian official that the Arctic Sea could have been carrying a sensitive cargo — a suspicion raised by observers who followed the weekslong saga.

August 21st, 2009 Russian court arrests suspected ship hijackersMOSCOW — A Moscow court has formally arrested eight people suspected of hijacking a freighter at the center of a monthlong high-seas mystery, according to Russian news agencies. The Maltese-flagged Arctic Sea left Finland on July 21 carrying a load of timber but then appeared to vanish in the Atlantic.

August 20th, 2009 Arctic Sea crew, hijackers interrogated in MoscowMOSCOW — Russian authorities questioned crew members from the Arctic Sea cargo ship after the seamen and eight alleged pirates ship were returned to Moscow on Thursday, adding new details to the mystery of the ship's monthlong odyssey. Three heavy-lift air force jets, reportedly carrying 11 crew members, the alleged hijackers and other investigators, arrived at a Moscow region military base after flying from Cape Verde, the West African island nation where a Russian frigate stopped the ship four days ago.

August 20th, 2009 Developments in the search for the ship Arctic SeaKey developments in the voyage of the freighter Arctic Sea. July 21 — Arctic Sea departs from Finnish port carrying timber bound for Algeria, with a 15-man Russian crew.

August 20th, 2009 Arctic Sea crew, hijackers arrive in MoscowMOSCOW — The crew and the suspected hijackers of the Arctic Sea arrived in Moscow on Thursday, news agencies reported, days after the freighter was found by Russian naval forces off West Africa. Three Russian air force planes arrived at a military airport outside Moscow from the Cape Verde islands, Interfax and ITAR-Tass said.

August 19th, 2009 Russia insists ship hijackers sought ransomMOSCOW — A Russian Defense Ministry official insisted Wednesday that the hijackers of the Arctic Sea had demanded a ransom and threatened to blow up the Russian-crewed freighter if their demands were not met, state news agencies reported. The ship's mysterious disappearance last month is the focus of an international investigation.

August 19th, 2009 Russia insist ship hijackers sought ransomMOSCOW — The Russian Defense Ministry insists that the hijackers of the Arctic Sea ship demanded ransom. The ship's alleged disapearance last week is the focus of an international investigation.

August 18th, 2009 Russia arrests 8 suspects in ship hijackingMOSCOW — Russia's navy arrested eight men accused of hijacking the Arctic Sea freighter near Sweden and forcing the crew to sail to West Africa, the defense minister said Tuesday. Anatoly Serdyukov said the suspected hijackers were detained by the naval vessel that found the Russian-crewed freighter Monday off Cape Verde, thousands of miles (kilometers) from the Algerian port where it was supposed to dock two weeks ago.

August 18th, 2009 8 suspects in Arctic Sea hijacking reportedly heldMOSCOW — Russia's navy detained eight men accused of hijacking the Arctic Sea freighter near Sweden and forcing the crew to sail to West Africa, state news agencies quoted the defense minister as saying Tuesday. Anatoly Serdyukov reportedly said the suspected hijackers — citizens of Estonia, Latvia and Russia — were detained by a Russian naval ship without a shot being fired.

August 17th, 2009 Russian minister: missing ship found, crew aliveMOSCOW — The Russian-crewed freighter that sparked a high-seas mystery when it disappeared nearly three weeks ago has been found by a Russian naval frigate off the West African coast, the country's defense minister said Monday, according to Russian news agencies. The Arctic Sea's 15 crew members, last heard from July 28, were alive and now aboard the navy ship, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said.

August 17th, 2009 Key developments in search for missing shipKey developments in the search for the ship Arctic Sea, which disappeared along with its 15-man Russian crew in the Atlantic nearly three weeks ago. July 21 — Arctic Sea departs from Finnish port with timber cargo bound for Algeria.