Nineteen of 24 Ukrainian sailors, captured by Russia identified themselves as prisoners of war. Lawyer Serhii Badamshin claimed this on the air of 112 Ukraine.
‘Another 19 Ukrainian sailors called themselves prisoners of war and demanded the Russian authority to do the same thing in accordance with the Geneva Conventions,’ the lawyer noted.
Badamshin has also claimed that several appeals are being considered in 'supreme court of the Republic of Crimea' on the preventive measure elected yet by Kerch's “city court”.
‘Three complaints had to be considered today. As far as I understood, the hearing has been rescheduled for Monday. The consideration of the cases on some of the sailors is now an issue… Some of the judges are somehow worried about this process, but we do not count on the independence and humanity of court decisions, unfortunately,’ the lawyer summed up.
He added that three Ukrainian sailors: Andrii Artemenko, Vasyl Soroka, and Andrii Eider are being provided with medical assistance and treatment. The remaining 21 are in Lefertovo remand center.
‘Before the New Year, the lawyers should get to everyone, meet and discuss their position and ask about their well-being, including the living conditions. All sailors unanimously claim that they are prisoners of war. Secondly, they are all modest. The lawyers are literally pumping information from them on what they need,’ the human rights defender said.
As we reported earlier, the Russian Navy attacked the Ukrainian vessels in the Kerch Strait in the Sea of Azov. The vessels were damaged, and the crews captured by the Russian special services. Ukraine and the Western governments consider the attack an act of aggression. The Ukrainian sailors were taken to a remand center in Crimea, and then in Moscow, charged with the 'illegal crossing of the Russian territorial waters'. All sailors deny their guilt, claiming they are prisoners of war.
