MOSCOW, July 17 (RAPSI) – Moscow’s Lefortovsky District Court on Wednesday extended detention of 13 Ukrainian sailors charged with illegal border crossing in the Kerch Strait until October 24, RAPSI learnt in the court’s press office.

The court is also expected to rule on the extension of detention for other 11 sailors.

The hearing is held behind closed doors.

On November 25, Russian border guard officers had to engage a weapon to stop unwarranted maneuvers of three Ukrainian ships in Russia’s territorial waters in the area of Kerch Strait. The ships were seized while 24 crew members were arrested. Three sailors were wounded.   

Simferopol and Kerch courts ruled the sailors be detained. On November 30, all of them were transferred to Moscow.