Four citizens of Ukraine were captured by members of an anti-government armed grouping in Somalia.
The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Oleh Nikolenko, announced this on Facebook, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine confirms the capture of four Ukrainians on the territory of Somalia controlled by anti-government forces... Their identities have been established," he wrote.
According to Nikolenko, four Ukrainians were members of the helicopter crew of the UN Mission in Somalia, which crashed the day before.
Together with the Ukrainians, 5 citizens of other countries were on board the helicopter.
The helicopter belongs to a Ukrainian private company that fulfilled the transport contract on behalf of the UN.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Kenya and the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations in New York (USA) have already received urgent instructions from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry to take the necessary measures.
Nikolenko added that the investigation into the circumstances of the helicopter crash and the hostage-taking of Ukrainians, as well as data on the condition of the prisoners, is currently underway.
Ukraine is also establishing contact with the company that owns the helicopter in order to coordinate actions.
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