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Military operation in Ukraine

47 crew members evacuated from ships blocked by nationalists at Mariupol port — DPR

According to earlier reports, retreating Ukrainian nationalists seized two foreign ships, the Tsarevna and Lady Augusta, and kept hostage their crews

DONETSK, April 10. /TASS/. Russian troops and forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) have evacuated 47 crew members from foreign ships blocked by Ukrainian nationalists in Mariupol, the DPR People’s Militia said on Sunday.

"Russian and DPR troops deblocked 47 crewmembers from Russia, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Ukraine who were onboard ships. They could not leave the zone of combat operations because of mines placed by nationalists," it wrote on its Telegram channel.

According to earlier reports, retreating Ukrainian nationalists seized two foreign ships, the Tsarevna and Lady Augusta, and kept hostage their crews.

Following a dramatic deterioration of the situation in Donbass on February 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21 announced a decision to recognize the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics within the boundaries of the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, as is committed to paper in their constitutions.

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in response to a request for help by the heads of the Donbass republics. He stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, but aimed to demilitarize and denazify the country. The republics began an operation to liberate their territories controlled by Kiev.

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Ukraine Military operation in Ukraine

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