Detained Ukrainian sailors attend pre-trial hearing in Simferopol (video)

Three Ukrainian crew members from the vessels that violated Russian territorial waters were escorted to Kievsky District Court for a pre-trial hearing in Simferopol on Tuesday.

According to the Ukrainian authorities, their vessels had the right to pass freely through the Kerch Strait under international law. However, the FSB stated that Ukrainian vessels encroached into territorial waters that belonged to the Russian Federation before the Crimean referendum, and therefore did not have the right without applying for a pass.

In the statement, the FSB also accuses Kiev of organising a 'provocation' in the Kerch Strait, which was coordinated by two members of Ukraine’s Security Service on board the vessels.

Kiev denies all the accusations with the Command of the Naval Forces of Ukraine putting the blame on the Russian side for "its aggressive actions."

According to an FSB statement, on Sunday "at around 7:00AM MSK [04:00 GMT], three vessels of the Ukrainian Naval Forces violated articles 19 and 21 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which determines coastal states' rights to ensure security at sea."

The FSB said that weapons were used to make the Ukrainian vessels stop after "dangerous manoeuvring." Three Ukrainian military personnel were injured as a result and received medical attention.

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Posted from AMN with SteemPress : https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/detained-ukrainian-sailors-attend-pre-trial-hearing-in-simferopol-video/

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