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The Ukrainian government has submitted to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) a complaint over Russia's alleged violation of rights of Ukrainian sailors detained in the Kerch Strait incident, Ivan Lyschina, Ukrainian deputy justice minister and commissioner for ECHR issues, said on Monday.

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 07th January, 2019) The Ukrainian government has submitted to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) a complaint over Russia 's alleged violation of rights of Ukrainian sailors detained in the Kerch Strait incident, Ivan Lyschina, Ukrainian deputy justice minister and commissioner for ECHR issues, said on Monday.

"The Ukrainian government has followed court rules and submitted on January 7, 2019, a complete complaint on case #55855/18," Lyschina posted on Facebook.

He specified that the Ukrainian government requested the ECHR to acknowledge that 22 Ukrainian sailors and two Security Service employees were held in Russian detention facilities illegally and that criminal charges for unauthorized crossing of the Russian border had been brought against them illegally as well.

In December, the Russian Justice Ministry briefed the ECHR on the detained Ukrainian sailors' whereabouts, condition, and access to legal counsel.

On November 25, three ships of the Ukrainian Navy � Berdyansk, Nikopol, and Yany Kapu � entered Russian territorial waters that were temporarily closed, in violation of the Russian maritime border, and began moving toward the Kerch Strait, which serves as the entrance into the Sea of Azov. The Ukrainian vessels and their crew were detained by Russia after failing to respond to a lawful demand to stop.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the incident was a provocation prepared in advance as a pretext to introduce martial law in Ukraine. Putin also said that the provocation could be linked to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's low approval ratings ahead of the presidential campaign.