MOSCOW, April 9. /TASS/. A patrol ship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was forced to open fire on the Apache bulk carrier, which was sailing towards the Mariupol port, to stop it, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov said on Saturday.

"A warship and border patrol ships of the Black Sea Fleet opened artillery fire in the path of the intruder vessel to stop its movement. A direct hit set on fire the stern of the vessel," Konashenkov said.

According to the spokesman, after that the Ukrainian cargo vessel went adrift and the crew established contact with the border ships asking to cease the fire and confirming their readiness to obey the Russian sailors’ orders.