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Nikolai Polozov: why Ukrainian personnel held in Russia should be considered prisoners of war

After last year’s incident in the Azov Sea between Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian naval personnel are currently under investigation in Russia. Here, the head of their legal team talks about their conditions and chances for release.

By Thomas Rowley

Nikolai Polozov: why Ukrainian personnel held in Russia should be considered prisoners of war — Lefortovo courthouse, 15 January | (c) Kommersant Photo Agency/SIPA USA/PA Images. All rights reserved

Published: April 18, 2019, 12:00 am

As a result of the incident between Russian and Ukrainian military vessels in the Azov Sea on 25 November 2018, Russian investigators are holding 24 Ukrainian naval personnel in Moscow’s Lefortovo prison.

All 24 men, including three wounded, are charged with carrying out an illegal border crossing into Russian territory. In response, on 15 March, the US, EU and Canada introduced new sanctions against Russian military officials and companies involved in detaining the Ukrainian personnel.

Russian lawyer Nikolai Polozov is coordinating the legal defence team for the Ukrainian sailors, and he believes that they will be released only if international organisations officially recognise the personnel as prisoners of war – and if the Russian authorities choose to make a political decision in their case.

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