MOSCOW , Russia ( CNN ) -- The Somali government has asked Russia to intervene against pirates who have seized a Ukrainian cargo ship , the Somali ambassador to Russia said Wednesday . The U.S. Navy released this observance photo of the MV Faina , which is loaded with weapons and tanks . But the Russian navy issued a statement later in the day saying it had no intention of using force against the pirates , the Russian news agency Interfax reported . `` The questions of freeing the ships and crew are being dealt with in line with the corresponding international practices , '' Interfax quoted Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo as saying . `` For understandable reasons , the use of force would be an extreme measure because it could threaten the life of the international crew of the ship . '' The pirates took over the MV Faina last week off the coast of Somalia and are demanding a $ 20 million ransom for the ship 's cargo of 33 Soviet-made T-72 tanks , tank artillery shells , grenade launchers and small arms . The ship is anchored within Somalia 's 12-mile territorial limit . `` The government and the president of Somalia are allowing the Russian naval ships to enter our waters , and fight against pirates both in the sea and on the land , that is , if they would have to chase them , '' Amb . Mohamed Handule said at a news conference in Moscow . `` We think that this issue of piracy has exceeded all limits . It is very dangerous that pirates are now laying their hands on arms -- not just for Somalia , not only for the navigating , but for the entire region in general , '' he added . `` Right now , pirates are controlling the sea in this area , but just imagine if they get control of the land too . '' The announcement raised concern among some officials monitoring the situation . Watch Russian warships move to confront pirates » . `` We may have bad news , '' said Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya Seafarers Association . Mwangura said some of the Ukrainian crew 's family members are concerned for their loved ones ' safety and have called him to see if he can communicate with the pirates . He urged negotiations to continue . `` For the safety of the crew members , '' Mwangura said , `` let the ship owners talk with the pirates . '' Watch Mwangura talk about the rise in pirating » . A Russian navy ship sailing toward the Faina is in the Atlantic Ocean and `` still has a bit of water to get here , '' said U.S. Navy Lt. Stephanie Murdock , who is stationed in nearby Bahrain . `` There is no estimated time of arrival yet . '' The U.S. Navy has several ships in the area monitoring the situation . `` There have been no changes today , '' Murdock said . The Navy has not communicated with the Russian ship but will work out coordination when it arrives , Murdock said . The Russian ship Neustrashimy is headed to the region solely to protect Russian shipping , according to the Russian navy spokesman . `` The navy command has been stressing that the Neustrashimy , from the Baltic Sea Fleet , has been given the task of arriving in the area of Somalia and guaranteeing for a certain time the safe seafaring of Russian ships in the area with a high risk of pirate attacks . The essence of the mission is to prevent the seizure of Russian ships by pirates , '' Dygalo said . Handule , the Nigerian ambassador , seemed to criticize the United States for not taking action . `` Ships of more than 10 countries are now close to our shores , but we are not satisfied with the results of their activities , '' he said . Citing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1816 , Handule said , `` We are inviting all countries , all states who have possibility to support Somalia to fight against ... pirates . We are especially inviting Russia and giving special status to Russian warships to fight , to help Somalia . '' The latest developments came two days after three pirates were killed when they started shooting at each other , according to Mwangura , the Kenya maritime official . The shootout centered on a disagreement between moderate and radical pirates aboard the ship , Mwangura said . The moderates wanted to surrender , but the radicals did not . The pirates hijacked the ship off the coast of Somalia September 25 . The Faina had been headed to the Kenyan port of Mombasa after departing from Nikolayev , Ukraine , and was seized not far from its destination . The Faina is owned and operated by Kaalbye Shipping Ukraine , and its crew includes citizens of Ukraine , Russia and Latvia , the Navy said . Abdi Salan Khalif , commissioner of the coastal town of Harardhere , told CNN the pirates told a group of town elders that one crew member had died of high blood pressure problems . Attacks by pirates have increased dramatically in the waters off Somalia 's northern coast in the past year , prompting the U.S. and other coalition warships to widen their patrols in the region . Three ships were hijacked on August 21 in that area , the `` worst number of attacks '' in a single day in many years , Capt . Pottengal Mukudan of the International Maritime Bureau told CNN . After the spate of attacks , the U.S. Navy 's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain announced that it would begin patrolling a newly established shipping corridor in the Gulf of Aden in an attempt to protect international shipping . Canada also sent a warship through the end of September . The International Maritime Bureau said in April that 49 pirate attacks on ships were reported in the first three months of 2008 , compared with 41 for the same period last year . It recorded 263 pirates attacks last year , up from 239 the year before and the first increase in three years .
NEW : Somalia wants Russian warships to intervene ; Russia rules out using force . Pirates captured Ukrainian MV Faina , loaded with weapons , off Somalia 's coast . Officials fear weapons will get into terrorists ' hands . Ships from 10 countries , including U.S. , in region ; Somalia fed up with inaction .