Russia Says 2 of Its Sailors Held Hostage in Mozambique

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated to the Russian media agency on Sunday that two Russian sailors are being held as hostages at the port of Maputo in Mozambique amid a dispute between the ship’s owner and its local agent. Last week, the Shout news site reported on Telegram that two Russians, one Lithuanian, and two Ukrainians have been held on the fishing vessel Volobas, which flies the Cameroonian flag, for eight months. The Russian Foreign Ministry told the media agency, "They found themselves hostages to a financial and real estate dispute between the ship-owning company and a local agent." The ministry noted that diplomatic efforts to bring the sailors back to their homeland have so far been unsuccessful.