All news

Russian ombudsperson believes in further dialogue with Kiev on prisoners release

Earlier, seven Russian sailors from the Nord vessel detained by Ukraine returned to Crimea in exchange for the release of seven Ukrainian sailors from two ships detained for illegal fishing
Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova Alexander Shcherbak/TASS
Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova
© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

MOSCOW, November 2. /TASS/. Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova believes that the latest release of Russian sailors by Ukraine demonstrates that certain forces in the country are ready for a dialogue.

"The latest humanitarian action to allow Ukrainian and Russian sailors return home demonstrates that further dialogue and a reasonable solution to the issue is possible," Moskalkova told the Rossiya-24 TV channel in a broadcast aired on Thursday night.

When asked about difficulties in the work with her Ukrainian counterpart Lyudmila Denisova, Moskalkova replied that other forces that are ready for cooperation exist in Ukraine.

"We have found other forces which are capable of engaging in a dialogue, of perceiving rational arguments and making decisions based on honor, dignity, conscience and justice, and which can make contact with the Ukrainian authorities and explain them the need to carry out a humanitarian action of this kind," she said.

Earlier, seven Russian sailors from the Nord vessel detained by Ukraine returned to Crimea in exchange for the release of seven Ukrainian sailors from two ships (YaMK-0041 and YaOD-2105) detained by Russia for illegal fishing. The Nord captain, Vladimir Gorbenko, still remains in Ukraine, and YaMK-0041 captain - in Russia.

Speaking about other issues involving Russian citizens in Ukraine, Moskalkova said she would request international organizations to hold an independent examination of health of Russian journalist Kirill Vyshinsky, who has been held in detention in Ukraine since May.

"For now, I have no information about independent doctors visiting him. And I’m ready to request international bodies once again to hold such an examination," she said, adding that during previous court sessions, Vyshinsky fell unwell many times.

She added that the Ukrainian court’s decision to extend his arrest "causes nothing but indignation and disappointment."

On May 15, the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) carried out a large-scale operation against RIA Novosti Ukraine staff members, accusing them of high treason. The news agency’s editor-in-chief Kirill Vyshinsky was taken into custody. If found guilty, the journalist may face up to 15 years behind bars.

On Thursday, November 1, the Kherson City Court extended Vyshinsky’s pre-trial detention for the third time until December 28, 2018. It had previously been extended twice in July and in September 2018.