OREANDA-NEWS. November 10, 2009. The port of Matadi, DRC, continues to detain the Panamanian-flagged Xland ship with an international crew including Russian citizens, three Ukrainian nationals of which have been arrested by the Congolese authorities on suspicion of killing a DRC citizen stowaway. No claims are put forward against the Russian members of the crew.

To clarify the circumstances the Ukrainian Ambassador to Gabon, S. V. Mishustin, visited the DRC on November 4-6. He talked to senior officials of competent agencies and members of specialized services in Matadi.

Ambassador Mishustin was informed of the transfer, because of the impossibility of providing adequate detention conditions in Matadi, of the three Ukrainian citizens to Kinshasa, where they will be tried.

At all stages of the Ukrainian delegation’s stay in the DRC, in response to the request of the Ukrainian side the Russian Embassy in Kinshasa assisted in arranging contacts and negotiations with the Congolese authorities, as well as providing logical support.

The Russian Embassy in the DRC continues to monitor the situation in order to ensure the rights of the Russian citizen members of the crew, as well as providing necessary assistance to the Ukrainian colleagues.