Russia counters Dutch protest over Greenpeace ship seizure

MOSCOW, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- A Kremlin official chided the Netherlands Saturday for purportedly failing to take steps to rein in a ship belonging to the environmental group Greenpeace.

Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov told Russia's RIA Novosti news agency the ministry had appealed to the Netherlands for more than a year to "intervene in the vessel's illegal activities" but had gotten no response.

"Therefore we have significantly more questions for the Dutch side than they can have for us," Meshkov said.

The Dutch-flagged Arctic Sunrise was seized by Russian authorities this week after Greenpeace activists from the vessel boarded an offshore oil rig in the Russian Arctic. The entire 30-member crew was detained, drawing protests from the Netherlands.

RIA Novosti said the activists were charged with piracy, which carries a 15-year prison sentence.