Ukraine police detain Russia marines overnight

Jun 25, 2009, 13:25 GMT

Kiev - Ukrainian traffic police detained a group of Russian marines overnight holding the naval infantrymen in their bus, the Interfax news agency reported Thursday.

The incident took place in Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula near the town Feodosia.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet maintains a military base in the Ukrainian city Sevastopol, and by a treaty effective until 2017 retains rights to use of training areas in the region.

The PAZ bus loaded with 30 Russian naval infantrymen had been en route to a mountain training area, when stopped by the Ukrainian traffic cops.

The Ukrainian law enforcers after holding the Russians in the vicinity of the bus for a total 20 hours cited the soldiers for violation of Ukrainian immigration law.

Tarmac temperatures in Crimea exceeded 35 degrees Centigrade. No injuries were reported.

Ukraine and Russia are at odds over some of the terms of the 1999 Black Sea Fleet treaty, among them whether or not Russian service personnel must register with Ukrainian authorities whilst serving in Crimea.

Viktor Yushchenko, Ukraine's pro-Europe President, has called Russia's eventual removal of troops from Crimea a top priority for his administration.

He also has complained of alleged harassment of Ukrainians working in Russia by Russian authorities, and hinted Kiev should prosecute Russian citizens in Ukraine overstaying immigration law limits.

The Kremlin for its part has asserted it has the right to move troops from Russia-controlled bases in Crimea through Ukraine's road system without hindrance, and that it is under no obligation to give the Ukrainian government data on Russian soldiers entering or leaving the region.

The long-running dispute was particularly tense last year during Russia's war against Georgia, in which Russian naval and ground forces based in Crimea participated - a violation of the Black Sea Fleet treaty terms, according to Yushchenko.