Ukraine Sells Seized Russian Tanker Linked To 2018 Navy Clash

Ukraine’s National Agency for Tracing and Asset Management (ARMA) has announced the successful sale of the Russian tanker Nika Spirit, which was seized in connection with a 2018 naval confrontation between Russia and Ukraine.

The asset was auctioned off earlier this year through the Prozorro.Sale system and has now been legally transferred to its new Ukrainian owner.

The sale followed a court decision in November 2024 that permitted ARMA to sell the tanker rather than continue managing it. The agency reported on July 11 that the arrest on the vessel had officially been lifted after the completion of the sale process.

The court acknowledged that the ship no longer had ties to the criminal case and had gained a new legal status as commercial property acquired through an open and legal process.

The tanker, originally named Neyma, had been linked to a high-profile incident in November 2018 near the Kerch Strait Bridge. Ukraine claimed that the ship was deliberately used to block access to the strait as three Ukrainian Navy vessels attempted to pass from Odesa to Mariupol.

Russian forces then attacked and boarded the Ukrainian ships, capturing 24 sailors. The Russian side treated the sailors as civilians and charged them with illegally crossing the border.

The vessel, identified by IMO number 8895528, was later found docked at the port of Izmail in July 2019. Ukrainian authorities said it had the same IMO number as the Neyma involved in the Kerch Strait incident. It was seized and later handed over to ARMA for asset management.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, ARMA took formal custody of the vessel. In 2023, the agency appointed a manager to operate the Nika Spirit, but later decided to sell it to raise funds for the state budget.

An independent audit conducted before the sale revealed that the ship was 80% worn out and would require up to $480,000 for full restoration.

Despite this, the auction attracted four active bidders, and the final sale price rose to 6.4 million hryvnias (around $152,816), far exceeding its initial valuation of 2.4 million hryvnias (about $57,308).

ARMA Chair Olena Duma commented through official channels that the Nika Spirit case is a clear example of how seized vessels can be turned into direct financial contributions to Ukraine’s economy. She also stated that ARMA is currently managing 16 other arrested vessels, and the agency believes such assets should be sold rather than just maintained under state control.

The new owner of the tanker is a Ukrainian company that lawfully acquired it through the open bidding process. ARMA stated that the vessel has now officially lost all ties to the previous criminal investigation and has been fully reclassified as a commercial asset.

Reference: english.nv

Source: Maritime Shipping News