Ukrainian neo-Nazis hold 90 foreigners from five countries as hostages
76 foreign ships of 18 countries remain stranded in seven Ukrainian ports
Mikhail Mizintsev, head of Russia’s National Defense Management Center, on Tuesday said neo-Nazis are holding 90 citizens of five countries as a human shield while 76 ships of 18 countries have been trapped in seven Ukrainian ports.
“Ukrainian nationalists continue to hold 90 citizens of five countries as hostages for a human shield,” he said.
Also, he said 76 foreign ships of 18 countries remain stranded in seven Ukrainian ports (Kherson, Nikolayev, Chernomorsk, Ochakov, Odessa, Yuzhny and Mariupol).
The ships can’t leave the ports because of the threat of shelling and mines created by Kiev, he said.
“Ukrainian mines that are drifting along the shores of Black Sea countries continue to pose danger to seafaring,” Mizintsev said.
Russia, he said, is taking exhaustive measures to make sure civilian shipping continues to operate in the Black, Azov and Mediterranean seas.
Mizintsev reiterated that the Russian armed forces every day from 08:00 to 19:00 (Moscow time) open a humanitarian corridor, which is a safe lane toward the southwest from the territorial sea of Ukraine, 80 nautical miles long and 3 nautical miles wide.
Detailed information about the corridor is transmitted every 15 minutes every day in English and Russian over international VHF radio channels No. 14 and No. 16, he said. Mizintsev said Kiev is still dodging contacts with representatives of foreign governments and shipping companies to discuss safe exit by the foreign ships.
