Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia‘s Security Council, accused a Norwegian-flagged vessel on Friday of neglecting to assist sailors from a sinking Russian cargo ship in the Mediterranean Sea, labeling the incident as an inexcusable act.

The Ursa Major, which was involved in military construction operations for the Russian Defence Ministry, encountered difficulties on Monday and subsequently sank between Spain and Algeria, with 14 of its 16 crew members abandoning ship in a lifeboat.

According to the ship’s owner, Oboronlogistika, three explosions struck the vessel, compromising its hull in what they described as “an act of terrorism,” as reported by the state news agency RIA on Wednesday. Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service indicated that it received a distress signal from the Ursa Major on Monday and dispatched two vessels and a helicopter to the location.

Medvedev specifically pointed to the Norwegian-flagged ship, Oslo Carrier 3, for its refusal to rescue the Russian sailors as the Ursa Major was sinking. He expressed his outrage on his official Telegram channel, stating, “A Norwegian-flagged vessel, Oslo Carrier 3, refused to take aboard distressed Russian sailors from Ursa Major as it was sinking in the Mediterranean. What more is there to explain? That cannot be forgiven!”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov also commented on the situation, stating, “If indeed no assistance was rendered to those in distress at sea, this was contrary to all maritime laws and was an outrageous case that deserves total condemnation.”

The company that includes the Oslo Carrier 3 in its fleet, Bulkship Management AS based in Oslo, has not yet responded to a request for comment from Reuters.

Dmitry Medvedev, the former president of Russia and a close associate of President Vladimir Putin, characterized the vessel’s purported actions as indicative of a broader trend of anti-Russian behavior from Europe, which he asserted Moscow must address “by all means available,” including hybrid methods.

On Thursday, Finnish authorities detained a ship transporting Russian oil in the Baltic Sea, suspecting it of having damaged an undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia the previous day, as well as causing damage to four internet lines. “We are investigating serious sabotage from our end,” stated Robin Lardot, director of the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation.