Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, announced on Wednesday, June 24, that Iran has released four Ukrainian sailors who were detained in the Strait of Hormuz, and that the individuals have returned to their country.
According to Tykhyi, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had seized several ships and their crews in the Strait of Hormuz in April this year. Among these vessels was the container ship Epimenidas, which had four Ukrainian citizens on board.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that since the detention of these sailors, various Ukrainian agencies had been actively and continuously in contact with all relevant parties. He added: “We are glad that these efforts paid off, and our four citizens have now left Iranian soil.”
The Greek-owned ship Epimenidas was one of several vessels seized by the IRGC in response to the U.S. naval blockade of Iran. At the time, media outlets close to the IRGC, including Tasnim News Agency, accused the ship of having an “Israeli owner” and “covertly navigating the Strait of Hormuz.”
Tykhyi also noted that the Ukrainian Embassy in Greece had been in contact with the Greek shipowner and other relevant parties to protect the seafarers and find a way to repatriate them.
