Ukrainian ships captured by Russia back in the Ukraine

The Ukrainian naval boats ‘Berdyansk’ and ‘Nikopol’ stand in the port of Ochakiv near Odesa, Ukraine, on the night of the 20 November 2019.

On the morning on 25 November 2018, Russia blocked the passage to the Kerch Strait for the Ukrainian tugboat ‘Yany Kapu’ and two armoured naval boats ‘Berdyansk’ and ‘Nikopol,’ which were on a scheduled re-deployment from the Black Sea port of Odesa to the Azov Sea port of Mariupol.

All 24 crew members on board were captured and charged with illegal border crossing. Later the Ukrainian sailors were freed and returned to Ukraine in a major prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia on 07 September 2019.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said on 11 October 2019 that there is interaction between Russia and Ukraine and the process of returning the ships captured by Russia was at the final stage.

On November 17, Russia began moving the Ukrainian naval boats from the Genmol water area in Russian-occupied Kerch for their handover to Ukraine.

Via EPA-EFE/SERGEY GUMENYUK