All servicemen that took part in a successful...

The Moscow University tanker, carrying 23 crewmembers and 86,000 tons of oil was hijacked 350 miles east of the Gulf of Aden by Somali pirates on Wednesday at around 08.00 Moscow time [04:00 GMT.]

Russian forces on the large anti-submarine warship Marshal Shaposhnikov accessed the tanker by helicopter, abseiled on board and freed the crew, which had locked itself in a safe room after disabling the ship.

"As a result of the operation, it can be said that the Pacific fleet demonstrated a high level of training and professionalism during the assault and when they freed the crew," the Navy source said.

He said the competent actions of the tanker"s captain and crew contributed to the success of the assault operation by not allowing the pirates to take hostages or sail the ship into Somali waters.

MOSCOW, May 6 (RIA Novosti)