Ukraine's Ombudswoman for human rights Liudmyla Denisova has said Ukraine's SBU Security Service and State Border Service have told her that Ukraine has nothing against members of the crew of the Mekhanik Pogodnin vessel arrested in Kherson's sea trade port.

"Yesterday I received information from the SBU and State Border Service that Ukraine has nothing against the sailors of the vessel. A dozen sailors, including the captain are Russian citizens. They all passed through customs control and are free to go. No one is holding them. They are not under sanctions," Denisova said on her Facebook page on Sunday morning. She added that the sailors are staying with the ship, however.

"The ship and its cargo, which belongs to VEhB Leasing, are in the sanctions list of July 27, 2018. A court hearing on the matter will be held tomorrow," she said, adding that she left her telephone number with the vessel's captain, just in case.

As earlier reported, during the evening of August 10, 2018 Ukraine's Permanent Representative for Crimea Borys Babin said the SBU had arrested a vessel in the sanctions list. He said the vessel would not soon been leaving Kherson's port.

On August 11, Russia's Ombudswoman for human rights Tatyana Moskalkova asked Denisova to check into the matter.