An Indian court has changed the measure of restraint for the crewmembers of the Seaman Guard Ohio ship, including three Ukrainian citizens, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has reported.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Yevhen Perebyinis told Interfax-Ukraine that after the Indian court's decision to release the crewmembers on bail the prosecutors filed a motion in which they demanded that the measure of restraint be changed to detention.

"On January 7, the court decided to leave the crewmembers, including three Ukrainians, in custody until the investigation is completed," he said.

Perebyinis said that the defense team would again lodge a petition to change the measure of restraint for the crew.

As reported, the Indian court in late December 2013 released all crewmembers of the Seaman Guard Ohio, including three Ukrainians, on bail. Each of the sailors had to pay a bail of 10,000 Indian rupees ($161). In addition, they were required to report daily to the local police investigating the case.

In the early morning on October 12, 2013, the Indian coastguard detained the Seaman Guard Ohio in the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka. According to official sources, the ship was detained to check whether there were any weapons on board and whether they had the documents necessary for the shipment of its cargo.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that there were three citizens of Ukraine aboard - the captain, the chief engineer, and a security guard, who was arrested together with the rest of the security guards from the Seaman Guard Ohio. All the crewmembers, including the Ukrainians, were arrested.

The ministry denied media reports that the vessel with Ukrainians onboard was carrying a cargo of weapons, and said that there were only authorized weapons on the ship.