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Ukrainian sailors detained in Kerch Strait remain in Simferopol — lawyer

Russian media reported on Thursday that some of the arrested sailors were taken to Moscow’s Lefortovo prison

MOSCOW, November 30. /TASS/. Ukrainian sailors, detained for illegally crossing the Russian border, are kept in a pretrial detention facility in Crimea’s Simferopol, lawyer Nikolai Polozov, who defends one of the sailors, told TASS, commenting on media reports of their transfer to Moscow.

"At present, the arrested sailors are being held in a pretrial detention facility of Simferopol," he said.

Russian media reported on Thursday that some of the arrested sailors were taken to Moscow’s Lefortovo prison.

On Sunday, November 25, three Ukrainian warships tried to cross the Kerch Strait, connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov. They failed to obey Russian border guards’ legitimate orders to stop and kept moving, so weapons were used to force them to stop. Three Ukrainian servicemen were injured, they received medical assistance. The ships were detained and brought to Kerch. Russia opened criminal proceedings over the violation of its state border.

Russia slammed the incident as a provocation. The Ukrainian authorities introduced martial law. The European Union and NATO called for de-escalation of tensions.