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Kremlin stays mum on idea to release Ukrainian sailors before trial

Ukraine rejected Russia's proposal regarding the 24 detained sailors, according to the Kremlin's spokesman

Ukrainian sailors, charged with violation of the Russian state border Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

Ukrainian sailors, charged with violation of the Russian state border

© Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/. The Kremlin has no comments about proposals to release the Ukrainian sailors before their case comes to trial. "[I recommend asking] the Ministry of Feoreign Affairs," Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "This proposal has already been drafted by our diplomatic agency, therefore, you need to ask them for the details."

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The Kremlin spokesman added that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has a certain stance in this regard and Moscow is unsure whether it has changed.

According to Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin already commented on the situation with the Ukrainian sailors at a press conference in Osaka.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry sent notes to Ukraine and Hamburg-based International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, listing the actions Kiev can take in compliance with the Russian legislation to free the sailors detained in the Kerch Strait. "The notes issued particularly draw attention to the fact that the criminal proceedings against 24 Ukrainian sailors are ongoing, as well as to the measures the Ukrainian side can employ in line with the Russian criminal code to free the sailors and vessels," the Russian Foreign Ministry specified. In turn, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavel Klimkin said that Kiev rejected the Russian Foreign Ministry’s proposal regarding the Ukrainian sailors set out in the note.

At the press conference in Osaka, Vladimir Putin recalled that the newly-appointed Ukrainian Chief of the General Staff had confirmed that the Kerch Strait incident was a provocation, organized by then-President Pyotr Poroshenko as part of his election campaign. "This is absolutely unacceptable, a disgrace," the Russian leader highlighted. "Let’s proceed from that." "That being so, the Ukrainian side in fact admitted that it was a provocation on their part," he added. "We will calmly resolve this issue in a working atmosphere." Putin added that the detained sailors "were just following orders, and that’s all." "They violated the Russian law and, therefore, we need to get to the bottom of this in a calm, working manner," he emphasized.

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