KIEV, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Ochakiv port in the south of the country on Wednesday night to inspect three Navy vessels that returned to Ukraine after being detained by Russia in the Kerch Strait almost a year ago, the president's press service reported on Thursday.

"I am very glad that our military vessels are back. As we promised, we returned our sailors and returned our boats. From what we saw, some parts of the equipment are missing... I saw the condition, there will be an investigation, we will see all the details. We will certainly contact the Russian side to return everything that was there," Zelensky said.

Zelensky said the vessels would be repaired within three months.

A total of 24 Ukrainian sailors and their three vessels were taken by the Russian navy last November in the Kerch Strait. The incident marked a major escalation in tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

All sailors were returned to Ukraine on Sept. 7 as a part of the detained persons exchange between Ukraine and Russia when 35 people including the sailors were freed by the Russian authorities in exchange for 35 Russian citizens.

On Nov 18., Russia returned Nikopol, Berdyansk and Yana Kapu naval vessels to Ukraine. Enditem

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