"Merkel has not been shy of criticizing Russia from time to time, " said Maslov.

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Afterward, the Captain Maslov was able to escape the pirates by "maneuvering, " and continued to Mombasa, the ministry said.

CNN: Ship escapes pirate attack off Somalia, Russia says

The attack sparked a fire aboard the Captain Maslov, which was heading from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Mombasa, Kenya, the ministry said.

CNN: Report: Pirates holding Chinese ship, crew of 24

One of the chief concerns of the EU commission and Germany are state-owned Russian corporations, said Denis Maslov, an analyst at the Eurasia Group.

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The attack started a fire on board the Cypriot-owned, Russian-operated Captain Maslov, but the crew members were able to extinguish the flames, the ministry said.

CNN: Ship escapes pirate attack off Somalia, Russia says

"I think the main reason for the nomination of Tosovsky, is for Russia to assert itself internationally, " said Denis Maslov, an analyst at the Eurasia Group.

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The pirates raced toward the ship, the Captain Maslov, in a high-speed boat late Thursday afternoon and attacked as it headed from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Mombasa, Kenya, the ministry said.

CNN: Ship escapes pirate attack off Somalia, Russia says