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Russian consulate general asks Ukraine to confirm identity of detained nationals

The Russian Defense Ministry earlier reported that two Russian servicemen had been abducted by Ukraine’s Security Service in Crimea

KIEV, November 22./TASS/. The Russian consulate general in Odessa has sent a note to Ukraine asking it to present copies of the documents confirming the identity of the detained Russian nationals, the press service of the Russian Embassy to Ukraine told Tass on Tuesday.

Read also

Ukraine’s Security Service abducted two Russian servicemen at Crimean car checkpoint

"In connection with information circulated by Ukrainian media about the detention of Russian citizens (Maxim) Odintsov and (Alexander) Baranov by Ukrainian Security Service's agencies on November 20, the Russian consulate general in Odessa sent a note to the Ukrainian side with the request to provide copies of the documents confirming their identity and citizenship, as well as to organize a meeting of an officer from the Russian consulate general with the detained persons," the embassy said.

Late on Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that two Russian servicemen had been abducted by Ukraine’s Security Service in Crimea and taken to Ukraine’s Nikolayev region.

"At about 13:00 Moscow time on November 20, officers of Ukraine’s Security Service illegally detained two Russian servicemen: warrant officer Maxim Yevgenyevich Odintsov and junior sergeant Alexander Vyacheslavovich Baranov and took them to the territory of the Nikolayev region in Ukraine," the ministry said.

Read also

Lavrov calls abduction of Russian military in Crimea by Ukraine provocation

This information was confirmed earlier on Tuesday by a representative of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. "Officers of the Ukrainian Security Service used substitute persons to entice warrant officer Maxim Odintsov and contract service junior sergeant Alexander Baranov into the Dzhankoi checkpoint allegedly for giving them attested documents of receiving higher education at Ukrainian higher educational institutions," the fleet’s representative said.

Shortly after Odintsov and Baranov left Russia’s territory, the servicemen were detained by representatives of the Ukrainian Security Service and brought to Ukraine’s Nikolayev Region, he added.

Sources from the Ukrainian Security Service said the servicemen are accused of desertion and treason.

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Ukraine crisis Foreign policy

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