Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned South Korea’s ambassador in Moscow on Monday and demanded that Seoul allow a Russian vessel to leave South Korea’s port of Busan. The ‘Sevastopol’ has been illegally held at the port, the ministry said. “The Russian side demanded the [South Korean] maritime authorities’ ban on the vessel leaving the port be immediately cancelled,” the statement said. A vessel named Sevastopol was one of six Russian-flagged vessels targeted by United States sanctions in August for their alleged breach of United Nations restrictions on North Korea. The US accused the vessels and two Russian shipping companies of involvement in the transfer of refined petroleum products to North Korean vessels, Reuters said. Russia denies the allegations.