Damir Marusic for TAI: What is Russia’s stated case for holding the kidnapped Ukrainian seamen captive?
Ilya Novikov: First of all, I will not use the term “kidnapping” because the Russians insist it was an arrest, and we, the defense team, prefer to call it a capture of prisoners of war. In my opinion, the Russians didn’t really plan things this way. What happened? Let me explain.
On the morning of the 25th of November last year, three Ukrainians vessels approached the Kerch Strait, from the side of the open sea [ed. entering the Azov Sea]. They were ordered to stop by …read more
Source: The American Interest
