The accused and the lawyers were informed on the results of the forensic examination

Russia pressed charges against 18 Ukrainian sailors whom Russia captured in November, 2018, as the coordinator of lawyers group Mykola Polozov reported on Facebook.

It was noted that on July 3 Russian Security Service was conducting an investigation, and pressured charges against four more Ukrainian POWs: Viktor Bespalchenko, Volodymyr Varymez, Vyacheslav Zinchenko and Yuriy Bezyazychny. The accused and the lawyers were informed on the results of the forensic examination.

“In total, charges were pressed against 18 Ukrainian POWs,” Polozov stressed.

Besides, he noted that the question on the rest six POWs will be decided o July 4,5,9.

As it was reported, on May 25, the International Maritime Tribunal demanded that Russia immediately release the Ukrainian sailors and ships and ensure their return to Ukraine. Ukraine is counting on Russia’s immediate implementation of the decision.

Earlier, on November 25, 2018, Russian border guards seized the Ukrainian Yany Kapu raid tug and small armored artillery boats Berdyansk and Nikopol of the Naval Forces of Ukraine in the Kerch Strait area, using weapons.

As a result of the incident, 24 Ukrainian sailors were detained and arrested. They were transported from Crimea to the Moscow Lefortovo detention facility. In addition, three Ukrainian sailors wounded during the shelling by the Russians were transferred to the prison hospital.