MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th April, 2022) Ukrainian nationalists are holding more than 6,200 foreigners from 11 countries hostage, head of the Russian National Defense Control Center, Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev, who also leads Russia's humanitarian response coordination headquarters, said.
"Ukrainian nationalists continue to hold 6,253 foreign citizens from 11 states hostage as human shields," Col. Gen. Mizintsev said.
He also said 76 foreign ships from 18 countries remain blocked in Ukrainian ports.
Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the special operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine. Moscow has said it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia.
