Lawyer: Russia has not closed criminal cases against released Ukrainian sailors
Russian lawyer Nikolay Polozov wrote on his Facebook page that Russia had not closed the criminal cases against the Ukrainian sailors, who were captured in the Kerch Strait on November 25, 2018, and who were released after the prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia on September 7.
"Today [on September 16], I have visited the investigative department of the Russian Federal Security Service in connection with the case of arrested Ukrainian sailors. Work on the case of Ukrainian sailors continues even after their release. The criminal cases against them are not closed. They still remain accused in these cases. The lawyers of our team continue to defend them," said Polozov.
According to him, now the criminal case is in the stage of familiarization with the materials.
"Our lawyers are actively investigating the materials. Our task is to prevent any adverse legal consequences for the released sailors," stressed Polozov.
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea at a meeting in Hamburg ordered Russia to release the seized Ukrainian warships and return them to Ukraine immediately.
On September 7, as part of the exchange, 35 Ukrainians held by Russia, returned to Ukraine, and 35 Russian and Ukrainian citizens, who were arrested for various criminal offenses in Ukraine, were extradited to Russia.