The Foreign Ministry called the EU sanctions unacceptable grounds for detaining ships.

EU sanctions against Russia cannot serve as a legal justification for the detention of Russian vessels by European countries. This was announced on June 24 by Maxim Musikhin, Director of the Legal Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

"These sanctions cannot legally affect the convention regime or the freedom of navigation in any way. This is not a legal justification for anyone's actions," RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

He noted that Russia is taking all diplomatic measures to assist the crew members of the detained vessels. Moscow also uses political and diplomatic methods, including the UN Security Council, to protect freedom of navigation.

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On June 14, the British armed forces intercepted an alleged Russian oil tanker while trying to cross the English Channel. Later, Sky News reported that the ship's captain had appeared in court in England on charges of allegedly violating the sanctions regime.

Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, said on the same day that the seizure of the tanker by the British military was a violation of the law. According to him, the British Marines are capable of any action, but it is necessary that all of them contain a legal basis.