A Ukrainian sailor sunk his Russian boss’ $7.7 million luxury superyacht in Spain before accusing him of selling weapons to Vladimir Putin.
The yacht, named the Lady Anastasia, is owned by businessman Alexander Mijeev.
Mijeev took over Rostec, a Russian state-owned weapons supplier, in 2016.
The Ukrainian sailor, identified as Taras Ostapchuk, tried to sink his boss’ 156-foot-long plush boat in Majorca by flooding its engine room, according to Majorca Daily Bulletin.
The chief engineer – who had been working on the vessel for more than a decade – opened one valve in the engine room and a second where the crew lived before allegedly telling three workers, also Ukrainians, to jump ship.
He also shut down the electricity and closed the fuel valves.
The yacht was left with a destroyed engine room.
Taras was arrested and later told a Spanish court he blamed his boss for producing the weapons that were being used to attack Ukraine.
The 55-year-old told a judge on Sunday he didn’t regret his actions and “would do it again”.
According to local press, he said: “I watched the news about the war. There was a video of a helicopter attack on a building in Kyiv.”
“The armaments used are produced by the yacht owner’s company. They were attacking innocents.”
Ostapchuk was released on charges. He claims he had no intention of causing harm to life.
He later admitted: “I’ve lost the first battle, which was to sink my Russian boss’s ship but I will win the next one.”
He confirmed he went berserk around midday on Saturday after seeing a helicopter carrying weapons he believes were made by Mijeev’s firm attacking an apartment block in Kyiv similar to one where his family live and have just fled from to hole up in a village nearby.
The Sun Online has contacted Mijeev’s office for comment.
The unrepentant sailor, speaking after being released by a court in Majorca pending an ongoing probe, told island paper Ultima Hora he would be joining the fight against Putin’s soldiers.
He said he would catch a flight to Poland from Majorca this afternoon before getting on a train or bus to the Ukrainian capital.
The luxury boat has five cabins and is 156 feet long.
He told the paper: “I’m going to fight. As soon as I reach the first Ukrainian city I will look for a military commander and ask him if they need me.”
“I told myself: ‘Why do I need a job if I have my country. I had a good job as a head mechanic on the boat and a good salary but I am going to fight for my nation.”
”I am not going to lose my country. I am not a hero, I’m a middle-aged man, but I have a lot of experience as a mechanic.”
“I’ve never held a weapon but if necessary I will. Why not!”
Speaking of the TV footage he was watching on a Spanish news channel that led to him allegedly carrying out the attack on Lady Anastasia, he added: “I live in a very similar building.”
“From my window, I can see the Ukrainian parliament. I was wondering what’s had happened to my house when I saw the footage because its in a very similar position.”
Ukraine has been bombarded with explosions and missiles after it was invaded by Russia on Thursday.
More than 300,000 civilians have fled as shells rained down across the country over the weekend – as the battle for the capital, Kyiv, stretched into a fourth day.
