Ukraine demands from Libya to release from custody its detained citizens and send them to the Ukrainian Embassy in Tripoli. This was announced today by the Foreign Minister, Alexander Dikusarov, states radio "Freedom".

According to him, yesterday and today the ambassador of Libya in Ukraine was summoned to the Ministry to conduct appropriate consultations.

"The situation did not change within the last days, the Ukrainians were not transferred to the embassy: nineteen citizens of Ukraine are under house arrest in a hostel, and the same situation is with our three fellow citizens who are in another place. We do everything we can that all of them in the near future were transferred to the Ukrainian Embassy. Our diplomats intend to visit their fellow citizens and will provide all necessary assistance to them", Dikusarov said.

Detention

On September, 5th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported that in Libya, which is experiencing a shift of power, 23 Ukrainians were arrested.

"Unfortunately, we have to confirm that at the present day in Libya there were detained 23 citizens of Ukraine", the director of the information policy of the MFA of Ukraine, Oleg Voloshin, stated at the briefing in Kiev.

"By means of the efforts of the Embassy it was possible to release one Ukrainian citizen, but in respect of the remaining the check up is going on," he said.

At the same time the Libyan side did not bring any formal charges against the arrested citizens of Ukraine.

Earlier, the American newspaper "Washington Post" reported that the Libyan opposition members arrested 19 Ukrainian oilmen and cooks. They suspected that they were snipers in the Army of Muammar Gaddafi. The Ukrainians categorically reject the allegations.

"Among us there are old men and one woman. We are not sharpshooters", Maxim Shadrov, one of the detained Ukrainians said.

"During the contacts with the Libyan authorities no one said that they are accused specifically of the fact that they participated in a fighting. They just undergo the vetting process", the director of the Information Policy of the MFA of Ukraine, Oleg Voloshin.

The Intelligence Service of Ukraine in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs carries out measures on release of the compatriots.

The Ministry of Foreingn Affairs suspectes that the information about the Ukrainians detained in Libya is an attempt to discredit Ukraine.

By radio "Freedom", "Details" and LIGABusinessInform