Russia arrested Ukrainian diplomat in St. Petersburg

Ukrainian consul in St. Petersburg, Alexandr Sosoniuk, arrested in Russian city after receiving classified information from resident of that countrylocal authorities said this Saturday. The diplomat was arrested for receive “a database of Russian security services”, according to a statement by the Federal Security Service (FSB) in the Kremlin.

“These activities are incompatible with diplomatic status and are hostile to the Russian Federation”, enter the note.

The arrest of the Ukrainian consul comes amid a escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine due to the conflict in the Donbass.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry described Sosoniuk’s arrest as “A new provocation” from Russia as part of its “destabilizing actions” in eastern Ukraine.

Likewise, the portfolio spokesperson, Oleg Nikolenko, assured that the consul was detained for several hours but you are already part of the Ukrainian diplomatic delegation.

“He is currently in the Ukrainian diplomatic mission” while the circumstances of his detention are clarified. “In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, the Ukrainian side is preparing a response“Nikolenlo told the agency RBC Ukraina.

Russian sources maintain that the Ukrainian consul will be subject to the measures provided in these cases by international law.

This Saturday is a new episode of the long conflict between the two countries since 2014 in Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

In the case of Crimea, Russia annexed this territory during the 2014 conflict with Ukraine before the people decide to join a referendum. While the Donbass region has lived for years a armed conflict between Ukrainian government troops and pro-Russian separatists.

The Minsk agreements, signed in September 2014 and February 2015, laid the foundations for a political solution to the conflict, but so far they have not led to the cessation of violence. Hostilities to date have left at least 13,000 dead, according to United Nations (UN) estimates.

Military maneuvers

Also in the last hours we knew that Russia has deployed at least 15 warships in the Black Sea, across the Kerch Strait, to the Crimean Peninsula, to carry out a military maneuver, as reported by the press agency Interfax.

This maneuver takes place after The United States previously canceled the deployment of two warships in the Black Sea after complaints from Russia, according to Turkish sources.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday that some sea areas in Crimea would remain closed for months due to the maneuvers.

Joe Biden and Angela Merkel called on Russia to reduce its military presence

The president of the United States, Joe biden, and the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, on Wednesday, jointly called on Russia to reduce its troops on the Ukrainian border, taking into account the increase in ground tension.

In a telephone interview, the two leaders agreed that a positive reception from Moscow would help to allow a “de-escalation” of the situation, said the spokesperson for Merkel it is a statement.

The statements are in line with those of the foreign ministers of the two countries as well as their G7 counterparts, who called on Tuesday in a joint statement that Russia “cease its provocations” and “reduce tensions” in the region. “These large-scale troop movements, without prior notification, represent threatening and destabilizing activities,” said the diplomatic leaders of the powers alongside European Chancellor Josep Borrell.

(With information from EFE, Europa Press and AFP)

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