A pirate spokesman, who wished to remain anonymous, contacted Somalilandpress today said at least ten of his men were executed by the Russian navy after the troopers stormed MV Moscow University.

"The Russians commandos stormed the ship before sunrise, starting a firefight with our men, onboard they injured three of them and one was killed," he said.

He dismissed the Russian navy statement that the men were released because of "the absence of a legal base to carry out prosecution procedures against pirates".

"The Russians never released the young men instead they shot them point-blank range then loaded their lifeless bodies back on the boat," he added.