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Russia’s FSB requests extension of Ukrainian sailors’ arrest for another three months

The investigation into the case is over, the defendants and their lawyers are now reviewing the case files

© Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

MOSCOW, July 15. /TASS/. The Investigation Department of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has asked the court to extend the arrest of Ukrainian sailors detained in the Kerch Strait, Spokesperson for Moscow’s Lefortovsky District Court Ksenia Pervovlasenko told TASS on Monday.

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"The request seeks the detention of A.Artemenko, A.Eider and V.Soroka until October 26, 2019, and of other defendants until October 24, 2019," the spokesperson said, adding that the court would consider the request on July 17.

The investigation into the case is over, the defendants and their lawyers can now review the case files.

Kerch Strait incident

On November 25, 2018, three Ukrainian naval ships illegally crossed Russia’s border and tried to carry out some illegal activities in Russian territorial waters. They ignored legitimate demands for coming to a halt from vessels belonging to the FSB Border Service and the Black Sea Fleet, and continued maneuvering dangerously. In order to stop the Ukrainian ships, weapons had to be used. The three vessels were detained in Russian territorial waters.

Criminal investigation was launched into the border incident. The Ukrainian ships’ crew were arrested. They are charged with violating the Russian border under Article 322.3 of the Russian Criminal Code and, if found guilty, may face up to six years in prison.

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