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"We are now in the final stage of the transfer of these ships. They will be returned soon. Technical issues are being discussed by the naval command. Our task as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to enable the process to be completed," Prystaiko said.

He added that Ukraine had already stated to the Russian side the place where these ships will stay and the time when they could be taken.

However, the minister suggested that the ships may no longer have traces of shots fired by Russian security forces during the Kerch Strait incident.

"Something tells me that they won't be there at the moment when we take them. But this process will happen in the near future," Prystaiko said.

He also suggested that the final judgment of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea on Russia's violation of the immunity of three Ukrainian warships and 24 crewmembers could be delayed for years.

"When the final decision is made, I generally think it's a matter of years. It's unpleasant, but this is the nature of these international courts," Prystaiko said.

On November 25, 2018, Russian security forces off the coast of the annexed Crimea fired on and seized three ships of the Ukrainian Navy that departed from Odesa and headed to Mariupol. Twenty-four Ukrainians were captured, three of them were injured.

On May 25, 2019, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ordered Russia to immediately release and allow 24 captured seamen and three ships to return to Ukraine.

Ukraine and Russia on September 7 conducted a prisoner swap in the 35-for-35 format during which the 24 Ukrainian seamen returned home.



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