Russian troops seized the crew of the Liberian-flagged vessel SMARTA on the territory of Mariupol Commercial Sea Port and took it to an unknown destination, Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova has said.

"On the territory of the Mariupol Commercial Sea Port, the Russian military seized and took away in an unknown direction the crew members of the SMARTA vessel flying the flag of Liberia and the wife of the ship's captain, who was on board at that time," the ombudsman said in Telegram channel on Monday.

She said in the statement that according to preliminary data, the crew members were taken out in the direction of the temporarily occupied Donetsk.

"️Some 18 people are citizens of Ukraine, one is a citizen of Egypt. There is no connection with the crew and the captain's wife. Before the capture of the sailors, Russian troops fired at the ship," the ombudsman said.

According to the ombudsman, the dry cargo vessel entered the port of Mariupol on February 21 and was supposed to go to Turkey, however, due to Russian military aggression, it did not receive permission to go to sea and remained moored to the 18th berth of Mariupol seaport.

"By such actions, Russia violates the right to life and liberty, personal integrity, guaranteed by Articles 3 and 5 of the 1950 Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, and the right to freedom of movement, guaranteed by Article 2 of Protocol No. 4 to the Convention," Denisova said in the statement.