Russian Cargo Ship Which Sank off Spanish Coast Was Victim of ‘Act of Terrorism,’ RIA Cites Owner

In this handout image released by the Portuguese Navy on December 22, 2024, the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major is watched during a monitoring operation conducted by the Portuguese Navy along the Continental Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coast of Portugal. (Handout / Portuguese Navy / AFP)
In this handout image released by the Portuguese Navy on December 22, 2024, the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major is watched during a monitoring operation conducted by the Portuguese Navy along the Continental Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coast of Portugal. (Handout / Portuguese Navy / AFP)
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Russian Cargo Ship Which Sank off Spanish Coast Was Victim of ‘Act of Terrorism,’ RIA Cites Owner

In this handout image released by the Portuguese Navy on December 22, 2024, the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major is watched during a monitoring operation conducted by the Portuguese Navy along the Continental Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coast of Portugal. (Handout / Portuguese Navy / AFP)
In this handout image released by the Portuguese Navy on December 22, 2024, the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major is watched during a monitoring operation conducted by the Portuguese Navy along the Continental Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coast of Portugal. (Handout / Portuguese Navy / AFP)

A Russian cargo ship called Ursa Major which sank in the Mediterranean Sea was the victim of "an act of terrorism," state news agency RIA cited the vessel's owner as saying on Wednesday.

The ship, built in 2009, sank after an explosion ripped through its engine room and two of its 16 crew were missing, the Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

RIA cited Oboronlogistika, the ship's ultimate owner and a company that is part of the Russian Defense Ministry's military construction operations, as saying the vessel had been targeted in "a terrorist act."

Oboronlogistika had previously said that the ship had been en route to the Russian far eastern port of Vladivostok with two giant port cranes lashed to its deck.



Pakistan Military Court Sentences 60 Civilians Up to 10 Years in Prison

Pakistani security officials check people and vehicles at a checkpoint in Peshawar, Pakistan, 24 December 2024. EPA/BILAWAL ARBAB
Pakistani security officials check people and vehicles at a checkpoint in Peshawar, Pakistan, 24 December 2024. EPA/BILAWAL ARBAB
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Pakistan Military Court Sentences 60 Civilians Up to 10 Years in Prison

Pakistani security officials check people and vehicles at a checkpoint in Peshawar, Pakistan, 24 December 2024. EPA/BILAWAL ARBAB
Pakistani security officials check people and vehicles at a checkpoint in Peshawar, Pakistan, 24 December 2024. EPA/BILAWAL ARBAB

A Pakistani military court sentenced sixty civilians to jail time ranging from 2 to 10 years in connection with attacks on military facilities following the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan in 2023, the military's media wing said on Thursday.
Those sentenced include a relative of Khan as well as two retired military officers. Days earlier, 25 others were sentenced on the same charges, Reuters reported.
Khan’s arrest in May 2023 sparked countrywide protests that saw his supporters attack and ransack military installations in an unprecedented backlash against Pakistan’s powerful army generals.
The military's media wing said, "The Nation, Government, and the Armed Forces remain steadfast in their commitment to upholding justice and ensuring that the inviolable writ of the state is maintained."
The sentences have sparked concerns among Khan's supporters that military courts will play a more significant role in cases related to the former leader, who is facing multiple charges, including inciting attacks against the armed forces.
The international community has also expressed concerns over the sentencing. The United States stated it is "deeply concerned" about the sentences, while the United Kingdom's foreign office noted that trying civilians in military courts "lacks transparency, independent scrutiny and undermines the right to a fair trial".
The European Union also criticized the sentences, saying they are "inconsistent with the obligations that Pakistan has undertaken under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights".
In a press conference on Wednesday, the information minister said the military court sentences do not infringe upon the right to a fair trial, as individuals are granted access to a lawyer, family, and still have the opportunity to appeal twice, both within the military court and civilian court, the relevant high court.
Khan's supporters have denied any wrongdoing, and Khan himself claims that the cases against him are politically motivated.
The military and government have denied any unfair treatment of Khan or his supporters.