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TEHRAN, Jul 26 - Ukraine captured a tanker belonging to Russia, saying that it was behind seizure of three Ukrainian ships and their crews near annexed Crimea last year.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - The incident could complicate president Volodymyr Zelenskiy's attempts at a more workable relationship with Russia and discussions of a prisoner exchange between the two countries.
The 10 Russians on board the the Nika Spirit, previously known as the NEYMA, were questioned by Ukraine's security service before being released.
The Russian foreign ministry had previously said it would be "a gross violation of international law" if Russians were "taken hostage" in the incident, promising that "consequences will not be long coming".
The security service said the tanker had blocked the passage under the bridge between mainland Russia and Crimea in November when Russian ships fired upon and boarded three Ukrainian navy ships attempting to go through.
The incident sparked a military standoff and cemented Moscow's control of the Sea of Azov, which is enclosed by Crimea, Ukraine and Russia.
The 24 sailors on the ships were jailed in Moscow and are being tried on charges of illegally crossing the border.
Security agents, prosecutors and border guards raided the Nika Spirit in the port of Izmail near Odessa, where it had gone for repairs, and would confiscate it as evidence in a criminal case, the security service said.
The vessel had changed its name to "hide its involvement in illegal activities and an act of aggression," it claimed. Video showed camouflaged security service agents approaching the tanker in a speedboat, climbing the gangplank and demanding documents from the captain in the wheelhouse.
Source: Telegraph
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