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Nairobi (ANTARA News / Xinhua-Oana) - Russian fighter ship has freed Liberian-flagged tanker that was hijacked by Somali pirates, the Navy said the European Union, Thursday.

EU Navy spokesman, John Harbour said the Russian battleships, Marshal Shaposhidov, is reportedly a high-speed sailing toward the position of piracy.

"In the morning, Marshal Shaposhnikov arrived at Moscow University in the oil tanker's position and sent a helicopter to investigate. The helicopter is shot by a hijacker who could resist that tanker," said Harbour.

Liberian-flagged tanker operated by the Russian citizens was hijacked about 350 nautical miles from Socatra.

Reported that the crew locked themselves in the wheelhouse and a maritime patrol aircraft had contacted the crew a few hours later to confirm their safety.

"European Union Navy in the region offering assistance to the Russian ships and maritime patrol aircraft the Navy made a sign warning the European Union for aid operations," Harbour said.

He said the Russian warships, which have to know the crew is already in a safe state in a locked room, even to the hijackers opened fire.

"A moment later, the Russian battleships were successfully docked into the tanker, caught all the pirates and freed the crew. All the crew survived and in healthy condition," he said.

Pirate attacks off the Somali coast is still ongoing despite the number of Navy battleships NATO, European Union, Russia, China and North Korea were deployed to the region to protect vessels in one region of the world's busiest shipping.