Jesse returned to Ukraine on July 29

Photo: Alexander Efimenko / Facebook

Freed from the captivity of the commander of the Harbor tugs “Yana Kapu” Oleg Melnychuk said on 12 September at the press-conference in Kyiv about the fate of a 25-year member of the crew, dog Jesse, which Russia returned to Ukraine on July 29, the correspondent of the publication “GORDON”.

“It was interesting, when employees, security forces of the Russian Federation gathered in my cabin, the commander of the Harbor tugs “Yana Kapu”, the dog was there, hiding. She was there and they didn’t know. Sat-sat – and she grabbed one of the pants bit. That’s the story. She must have realized who and what, and started to act as needed,” he said.

Melnychuk noted that on Board about the dog cared mechanic Sergey Culyba, now Jesse lives in his family, said the commander, “Yana Kapu”.

“Then I was told that had traded one prisoner of war, I did not understand at first who showed me that he gave the dog. I have realized that all the next will be our turn, what if a dog gave the first prisoner of war, to the 25th member of the crew, realized that Ukraine is fighting for all of us and that we will return,” he concluded.

VIDEOVideo: Espreso.TV / YouTube

25 November 2018, the Russian Federation fired at and seized in the Black sea boats of the Ukrainian naval forces “Berdyansk” and “Nikopol” and the tug “Yana Kapu”, which was returning to Odessa after trying to pass through the Kerch Strait in the Azov sea. Russian security forces detained the 24 Ukrainian seafarers, they were later arrested in the Crimean “courts,” and moved to Moscow. All Ukrainians were charged with illegal crossing of the Russian border.

In April 2019 Ukraine appealed to the international Tribunal for the law of the sea, demanding as temporary measures to oblige Russia to immediately release the sailors and ships. The Russian side refused to participate in the hearings.

On 25 may, the Tribunal in Hamburg has ordered Russia to immediately release the three detained Ukrainian ship, 24 of the detained sailors and allow them to return to Ukraine. The deadline for the decision expired on 25 June.

July 29, Russia returned to Ukraine dog Jessie, who was in Russia for eight months.

The coordinator of the group of lawyers Ukrainian sailors Mykola Polozov said that there she was kept on a chain. “When I found out about her, I remember, said save the dog – save and seafarers”, he said.

7 September between Ukraine and the Russian Federation took place the exchange of detainees in the format of “35 by 35”. Among returnees – 24 Ukrainian seamen.

Lawyer Nikolai Polozov told that the sailors were released under the guarantee of the Ukrainian Ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova.