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Kiev has nothing on 12 seamen of Mechanic Pogodin tanker - Russian ombudsman

"Ukrainian authorities have not brought any administrative or criminal charges against them", Tatiana Moskalkova told

Russian ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

Russian ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova

© Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS

MOSCOW, August 12. /TASS/. Sailors of the Russian tanker Mechanic Pogodin blocked in Kherson have not left the vessel and Ukrainian authorities have not brought any administrative or criminal charges against them, Russian ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova told TASS on Saturday.

"I had the next telephone conversation with the ombudsman of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine. Lyudmila Denisova found out upon my request that 12 Russian sailors are onboard the tanker, who did not go ashore. They have food, water, and medicines," she said.

"No administrative or criminal demands have been brought against seamen so far. A court session regarding the arrest of the tanker and the property onboard will be held on Monday," Moskalkova said. Sailors have not met the Russian consul. If issues or problems arise, they will be able to contact the Russian or the Ukrainian ombudsman, Moskalkova noted, adding that she monitors continuously the situation with observance of rights of crewmembers - Russian nationals.

Representatives of the Ukraine’s security service found the vessel under the Russian flag in Kherson commercial port. The vessel was blocked in the port because its owner is under sanctions introduced by Ukraine against Russia but no decision of the court to detain the tanker or anyone from its crew has followed so far.

The Mechanic Pogodin is operated by V. F. Tanker shipping company, an associate company of Universal Cargo Logistics Holding (UCL Holding).

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