Invaders arrest 12 Ukrainian sailors for two months

A Russian-controlled court in Simferopol has arrested for two months 12 Ukrainian sailors captured in the Kerch Strait on November 25, the Crimean Human Rights Group has reported.

"On November 27, 2018, the Kyivsky District Court of Simferopol took into custody for one month and 29 days, until January 25, 2019, the following servicemen of the Ukrainian Navy - Volodymyr Varemez, Viktor Bespalchenko, Volodymyr Tereshchenko, Serhiy Tsybizov, Andriy Oprysko, Yuriy Budzylo, Mykhailo Vlasiuk, Serhiy Popov, Bohdan Holovash, Roman Mokriak, Sergiy Chuliba, and Vladyslav Kostyshyn," the statement reads.

It notes that charges were brought against all arrested sailors under Part 3 of Article 322 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - illegal crossing of the border by a group of persons on prior collusion.

On November 25, Russian border ships carried out aggressive actions against three Ukrainian vessels that were en route from the port of Odesa to the port of Mariupol. Russian special forces fired on and captured these vessels.

According to the Ukrainian Navy, there were 24 sailors on board the Ukrainian ships, and four of them were wounded. One sailor is in grave condition.