The Russian Defense Ministry says it has released a group of Somali pirates who were captured in the Gulf of Aden by its naval forces after seizing a Russian oil tanker.
A ministry spokesmen said the pirates were released because there were no international legal guidelines for prosecuting them.
The men were sent off, without their weapons or any navigation equipment, in one of the boats they had used in the attack.
Russian investigators had previously said the 10 captured pirates would be brought to Moscow to face charges.
The pirates were captured when forces from a Russian warship stormed the hijacked tanker.
compiled from agency reports
A ministry spokesmen said the pirates were released because there were no international legal guidelines for prosecuting them.
The men were sent off, without their weapons or any navigation equipment, in one of the boats they had used in the attack.
Russian investigators had previously said the 10 captured pirates would be brought to Moscow to face charges.
The pirates were captured when forces from a Russian warship stormed the hijacked tanker.
compiled from agency reports