20:40 08.08.2013

Accusations against Ukrainian fisherman are ungrounded, says Ukraine's Foreign Ministry

2 min read

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has invited Russian Charge D'Affaires in Ukraine Andrei Vorobyov to discuss the situation surrounding the Ukrainian fisherman who survived the collision of a boat carrying Russian border guards with his boat in the Sea of Azov.

"The Russian diplomat was told that Oleksandr Fedorovych needs to be allowed to return to his homeland immediately, bearing in mind that his involvement in illegal fishing has not been proven," the press service for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry told Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.

According to this information, the Russian diplomat was asked to give due attention to the Ukrainian statement that the Ukrainian boat bears no evidence of illegal actions and therefore the accusations against him are unfounded.

In addition, special emphasis was made on the position of the Ukrainian authorities voiced earlier on a joint objective investigation into this incident, taking into account all circumstances, including the current legislation on the status of the Sea of Azov.

"In response, Andrei Vorobyov again extended his condolences over this incident and promised that the content of this meeting will be urgently communicated to the administration of the Russian Foreign Ministry so that the necessary decisions can be made," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian fishing boat collided with the Russian Coast Guard ship off the coast of the Vorontsovka village in the Sea of Azov at approximately 1800 on July 17. The fishing boat capsized and four Ukrainian citizens died in the shipwreck. One was rescued. The rescued Ukrainian fisherman, Fedorovych, had surgery on July 19.

The prosecutor's office of Mariupol, Donetsk region, opened a criminal case over the accident in the Sea of Azov. The Mariupol prosecutor's office department overseeing compliance with transportation regulations entered the accident data into the unified register of pre-trial inquiries under Article 291 of the Ukrainian Criminal Code (violation of transportation rules). The Mariupol investigative department of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry's Donetsk railroad division was assigned to investigate the accident.

It was reported on August 2 that the department was verifying possibility that gunshots were fired by Russian border guards at the Ukrainian fishermen.

Russia has also brought accusations against Fedorovych, the ICTV television channel said. The channel said he was charged with poaching marine resources under Part 3 of Article 256 of the Criminal Code of Russia and was facing up to two years in prison.

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