Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova has issued a statement addressed to the heads of the diplomatic missions of EU countries, in which she tells them about the situation involving the illegitimate detention, capturing and imprisonment of 24 servicemen of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, called on the EU to heighten pressure on Russia for their release, and also demanded that Moscow transfer the wounded sailors to a neutral country for medical treatment.

"According to the Convention (III) relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, 24 Ukrainian sailors have the status of prisoners of war. This has been recognized by the majority of civilized countries of the world... In particular, I demand that the Russian Federation send the wounded prisoners of war to a third (neutral) country so that they would be provided with high-quality medical assistance. This would correspond to the provisions of the Geneva Convention of 1949," Denisova said in a statement published on her Facebook page on Wednesday, January 22.