EU again calls on Russia to immediately release captured Ukrainian sailors

The European Union has once again called on Russia to immediately release 24 Ukrainian sailors captured in the Kerch Strait last November, according to a statement released by an EU spokesperson on Thursday, January 17.
"The Lefortovo Moscow City Court has extended until late April the detention, initially ordered by the court of Simferopol in the illegally-annexed Crimean peninsula, of 24 Ukrainian servicemen. The European Union Delegation in Moscow along with 15 EU diplomatic missions were denied the right to observe the proceedings at the Lefortovo Moscow City Court," reads the statement.

The EU recalled that the servicemen had been held since November 25, 2018, when Russia seized three Ukrainian vessels and their crews and fired shots at them, wounding several Ukrainian servicemen, near the Kerch Strait.

"As we have repeatedly said, we expect Russia to ensure unhindered and free passage through the Kerch Strait to and from the Azov Sea, in accordance with international law. Further, this use of force by Russia is unacceptable," the statement says.

"We expect Russia to immediately and unconditionally release the 24 captured Ukrainian sailors, to respect their right to legal representation and unhindered access by consular authorities, and to ensure that the injured crewmen receive appropriate medical treatment," it says.