A Ukrainian man who allegedly tried to sink his Russian boss’s multimillion pound yacht has said he has no regrets and would do it again.

The 55-year-old was reported to have been arrested in Majorca after partially submerging the luxury £5m Lady Anastasia at Port Adriano on the island.

Local media said the yacht belongs to Alexander Mijeev, the chief executive of Rosoboronexport, a Russian military weapons company.

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Majorca Daily Bulletin said the man turned himself in and told Civil Guard officers: “My boss is a criminal who sells weapons that kill the Ukrainian people.”

The paper added that he stated in court on Sunday: “I don’t regret anything I’ve done and I would do it again.”

The Ukrainian is reported to have opened a large valve in the engine room and a second in a compartment where the crew live.

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He said he told his Ukrainian colleagues to abandon ship and that he would take the blame.

The mechanic, who, the court was told, had worked on the Lady Anastasia for 10 years, was released and has not been charged.

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He acted after seeing a news report on the television, telling the judge: “I watched the news about the war. There was a video of a helicopter attack on a building in Kyiv.

“The armaments used are produced by the yacht owner’s company. They were attacking innocents.”

Key developments:

• Putin orders nuclear deterrent forces to be put on high alert
• Police on high alert in Kyiv as ‘dozens killed in mass shelling’ in Kharkiv
• Ukraine and Russia hold talks on Belarusian-Ukrainian border
• Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says next 24 hours “crucial”
• Russian bank run as rouble plunges to all-time low
• ‘Russian saboteurs’ shoot dead schoolgirl and her parents

Heavy fighting continued around Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city – and Chernihiv, on Monday, but both cities remain under Ukrainian control.

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The bulk of Russian ground forces remain more than 18 miles (30km) to the north of Kyiv – slowed by Ukrainian forces defending Hostomel airfield, a key Russian target, the Ministry of Defence said.

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