The future of Ukrainian naval sailors detained in the Kerch Strait will be determined according to the outcome of the court trial, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at an annual news conference on Thursday.
Putin gave an answer to a correspondent of the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN, who asked about the Ukrainian sailors’ exchange for Russian citizens staying in Ukraine and about conditions for this exchange to take place. Putin underscored that the issues related to the swap are being discussed, in particular with Viktor Medvedchuk, a leader of the Ukrainian Choice - Right of People public movement.
"Medvedchuk has recently visited Moscow and raised an issue of the release of the Ukrainian service members detained in the Kerch Strait," Putin said. "However, as I’ve already said the issue could be solved after the end of the criminal probe'', TASS reports.
Commenting on the Kerch Strait incident in late November, Putin again pointed out that the court would have the last word.