A Ukrainian man who tried to sink a New Zealand-built superyacht owned by a Russian arms tycoon is imploring his countrymen to come home and fight to save their nation.
Taras Ostapchuk, 55, was arrested on Saturday when he allegedly opened several valves to intentionally flood the 48-metre superyacht named Lady Anastasia.
Ostapchuk said he gained inspiration for trying to sink the luxury yacht at Port Adriano, a marina in Mallorca, Spain, after seeing television reports of Russia invading Ukraine, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
"I watched the news about the war. There was a video of a helicopter attack on a building in Kyiv," Ostapchuk said in court.
"The armaments used are produced by the yacht owner's company. They were attacking innocents."
He told the judge he didn't regret his actions and "would do it again".
The yacht, which reportedly suffered severe damage to its engine room, was built in 2001 by former Auckland shipyard Sensation Yachts, which went into liquidation in 2009.
Lady Anastasia can fit 12 guests and ten crew and was listed for sale for €7 million (NZ$11.6 million) in 2018.
The yacht is allegedly owned by Alexander Mikheev, the chief executive of Rosoboronexport, the weapons export arm of Russia's state-owned defence conglomerate Rostec.
Mikheev was formerly head of defence contractor at JSC Russian Helicopters.
Ostapchuk - who had worked on Lady Anastasia as a mechanic for a decade - was later released from custody and has since left Spain.
He told Associated Press that he intends to return to Ukraine to help fight the war against Russia and is urging others to return home and help.
"All Ukrainian citizens must be defenders of our fatherland because it is being subject to Russian aggression," he said.
"We must stop this war."
Ostapchuk said he wasn't a hero and wanted to defend his country.
"I'm going to fight. As soon as I reach the first Ukrainian city I will look for a military commander and ask him if they need me," Ostapchuk told Majorca Daily Bulletin.
"I told myself: 'Why do I need a job if I have my country. I had a good job as a head mechanic on the boat and a good salary but I am going to fight for my nation.
"I am not going to lose my country. I am not a hero, I'm a middle-aged man, but I have a lot of experience as a mechanic.
"I've never held a weapon but if necessary I will. Why not."
