Three Ukrainian sailors who were released from Yemeni captivity returned to Ukraine on January 25. They were members of the crew of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader, which was captured by Yemeni Houthis on November 19, 2023.
Points of attention
- Three Ukrainian sailors rescued from Yemeni captivity have returned to Ukraine after a complex rescue operation.
- The operation to evacuate the Ukrainian sailors from captivity lasted for over a year and required complex negotiations with the Houthis and other parties.
- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman for its support and assistance in the release of Ukrainian citizens.
- The operation to rescue Ukrainian sailors was carried out on the instructions of the President of Ukraine and with the support of the Royal Office of the Sultanate of Oman.
- The restoration of bilateral relations with the Sultanate of Oman after the release of the Ukrainian sailors will contribute to the development of diplomatic relations.
Relatives meet sailors rescued from Yemeni captivity
According to the GUR, after returning, the sailors arrived in Odessa, where they met with their relatives.
"I still can't believe that I'm home... I'm very grateful to everyone who helped, especially the representatives of the Main Intelligence Directorate. They were the first to contact us. After this conversation, we no longer had any doubts or fears - they know about us, they will return us," said one of the released sailors, Vitaliy.
What happened today is the result of coordinated, long-term work by a large number of people. The special operation was implemented on the instructions of the President of Ukraine and thanks to the comprehensive support of the Royal Office of the Sultanate of Oman, said Olga Mosyondz, a representative of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, during a meeting of sailors in the Odessa Regional State Administration.
How the operation to evacuate Ukrainian sailors went
As noted, the Ukrainian sailors were detained in November 2023 during the seizure of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman and its diplomatic department for their support and assistance in the release of citizens.
"We hope for the further development of bilateral relations after the opening of a foreign diplomatic mission of Ukraine," the ministry noted.
The operation lasted over a year and involved a complex negotiation process with the Houthis and other parties involved. The first contact with the captured Ukrainians was established on April 3, 2024, five months after the ship was seized.
