Eleven Ukrainian sailors from the Accord, a vessel earlier detained in Georgia for illegally entering the waters of the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia, will return to Ukraine on Thursday, August 5, Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Ruslan Demchenko has told Interfax-Ukraine.
He said that the Ukrainian sailors, who were charged with illegally entering the territory of Abkhazia, on August 4 signed a procedural agreement with the Georgian side and were released by a court after paying a fine. The fine was paid by the ship’s owner, he added.
"Their Ukrainian passports were returned, and now they can freely leave the territory of Georgia. The competent authorities of Georgia have no claims against the Ukrainian sailors," Demchenko said.
He also noted that the Ukrainians had been released due to the agreed actions of the foreign ministries of Ukraine and Georgia, which are overseeing this situation and taking all possible measures in diplomatic and consular response and support.
