By Dumskaya

The civilian rescue ship "Sapphire", captured by Russians off Snake (Zmeiiny) Island on February 26, returned to Ukraine.

According to the Marine Search and Rescue Service, on April 11, "Sapphire" arrived from Romania to the port of Izmail. "Sapphire" is the only Ukrainian vessel that can assist floating craft in distress in the Black Sea region.

“In the shortest possible time, after carrying out all the necessary checks by the responsible services, the Sapphire rescue tug will return to its main tasks and will be in constant search and rescue readiness,” the state-owned enterprise noted.

Recall that the ship's crew was released on March 25. At the same time, the Russians held hostage four people who were on board at the time of the capture: the military chaplain of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine Vasily Virozub, two more priests (Protestants) and an army doctor.

According to chaplain Alexander Chokov, who was released from Russian captivity, Vasily Virozub is being held in pre-trial detention center No. 2 in Stary Oskol, Belgorod Region, Russia. The priest was locked up in a punishment cell, tortured, and accused of espionage.

In total, there are 150 Ukrainians in this pre-trial detention center.

As you know, the Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War expressly prohibits the latter's placement in prison buildings (Article 22).