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Libya to undertake measures to return Russian sailors home — Kadyrov

On September 17, 2015 the Mikhail Chebotarev tanker and eleven crewmembers were detained in the port of Tripoli by the Libyan authorities on accusation of oil smuggling

MOSCOW, October 9. /TASS/. Libya is due to undertake decisive measures to return three crewmembers from the Russian tanker Mikhail Chebotarev after the court hearing scheduled for October 10, Chechnya’s head Ramzan Kadyrov wrote on his Instagram account on Saturday.

Commenting on his meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, Lev Dengov and MP Adam Delimkhanov, Kadyrov said: "They (the Libyan authorities) assured us that comprehensive steps would be undertaken to bring three our compatriots to Russia right after the court hearing scheduled for October 10. Also, the issue was considered about the fate of other three Russians, the crewmembers of the Greek tanker Temeteron, held under investigation in Libya."

"We received assurances that the judicial process would be expedited so as to return them home," he said, adding Chechnya was handling the sailors’ release since the first days of their detention, being in close contact with the Russian Foreign Ministry.

On September 17, 2015 the Mikhail Chebotarev tanker and eleven crewmembers were detained in the port of Tripoli by the Libyan authorities on accusation of oil smuggling. Later, some crewmembers were released, but the captain and his two assistants are in jail waiting for the trial.

The tanker Temeteron was detained overnight to June 29, 2016 by Libyan coastal guards. The crew was charged with smuggling. The crewmembers include three Russians, five Ukrainians and one Greek.