Three Navy Ships Held By Russia Return To Ukraine Port

Three navy vessels that Moscow seized last year and handed back to Ukraine have arrived at a Ukrainian port, though Kiev said they were stripped of some equipment

Kiev, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Nov, 2019 ) :Three navy vessels that Moscow seized last year and handed back to Ukraine have arrived at a Ukrainian port, though Kiev said they were stripped of some equipment.

The Nikopol, the Berdyansk and the Yany Kapu were seized in November last year in the Kerch Strait, in the most serious confrontation between Moscow and Kiev since the beginning of the conflict in east Ukraine in 2014.

The two gunboats and a tugboat were handed back this week after they were held in evidence following what Moscow says was an illegal breach of the Russian border.

The ships were welcomed back on Wednesday evening by the Ukrainian navy and President Volodymyr Zelensky, who reviewed them in the Black Sea navy port in Ochakiv.

"I am very happy that our navy vessels are back where they belong. As promised, we have brought back our sailors and our ships," Zelensky said.