By KYIV. Nov 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Russia must release civilians detained in the occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as ensure access for humanitarian organizations to all those detained, the foreign ministers of Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and Ukraine say in a joint statement.
"We call on the Russian Federation to fulfill its obligations in accordance with international humanitarian law. We urge Russia to release Ukrainian civilians illegally deported and detained under political pretext as well as those taken hostage during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We emphasise the need to ensure humanitarian access to protect lives, rights and dignity of victims of armed conflict in accordance with international humanitarian law. In this regard access of humanitarian actors to people in need must be provided," the ministers said in a joint statement, the text of which was distributed by the press service of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Monday.
