KIEV, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday protested against Russian court rulings to extend the pre-trial detention for Ukrainian sailors charged with violating Russian borders in the Kerch Strait.

"The trial of these Ukrainian servicemen runs counter to international humanitarian law," the ministry said in a statement.

Stressing that Ukraine considers the detained sailors as prisoners of war, the ministry urged Russia to treat them "in full accordance with their status and with full respect to their rights under international humanitarian law."

The ministry also called on the international community to assist in the release of the sailors.

Moscow's Lefortovsky District Court, during two separate hearings on Tuesday and earlier Wednesday, decided to extend until April 24 the pre-trial detention for 24 Ukrainian sailors seized on Nov. 25, 2018 who attempted to sail through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov.

Moscow accused them of illegally crossing the Russian border, which Kiev denied and urged Moscow to release the captured sailors.

The Russian Security Service said in December that the Ukrainian sailors could not be seen as prisoners of war as they were actually faced with criminal charges, and relevant investigation had been forwarded to its central office. Enditem

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