Kyiv to consider Russian request for consular access to its citizens detained in Donbas - Ukrainian Foreign Ministry

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has received a note from Russia on consular access to the Russian citizens detained in Donbas and is going to consider it, including taking into account the principle of mutuality, Oleksiy Makeyev, director of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's policy and communications department, said.

"Yesterday, we received a note from Russia in which Russia is asking for access to the detained Russian citizens. We will study and consider it closely," Makeyev told Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday.

Makeyev said Russia has not answered the questions that were previously asked by the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.

"The detention of Russian citizens Yerofeyev and Aleksandrov indicates the use of the Russian armed forces jointly with terrorist groups against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Russia has not yet answered our demands to stop the illegal actions, specifically, invasion by its armed forces, including hardware, into the territory of Ukraine and has not responded to our demands for the withdrawal of the Russian armed forces," the diplomat said.

"While considering the Russian Foreign Ministry's request, we will also take into account the approaches of the Russian side to visits by Ukrainian consuls of citizens of Ukraine detained by Russia," Makeyev said.

In the meantime, Moscow has more than once denied the presence of Russian military or Russian weaponry on the territory of Ukraine.

According to earlier reports, Ukrainian servicemen detained two Russians in an armed confrontation near the town of Schastia on May 16. Kyiv claimed they were "Spetsnaz soldiers from a hostile sabotage and reconnaissance group."

Ukrainian General Staff spokesman Vladyslav Selezniov said on May 17 that the servicemen were members of the Third Special Purpose Brigade stationed in the city of Togliatti.