Russia to help free European observers

A senior Russian diplomat says the country will help free European military observers being held by protesters in eastern Ukraine.

According to AFP, Andrei Kelin, Russia’s representative to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Saturday “We believe the people must be freed as soon as possible.”

Kelin added “Russia as an OSCE member will take all possible steps for it.”

He also stated that Moscow has no information regarding the observers’ fate and their exact location, adding “We do not know circumstances of what happened to them and where they are now, but we, as other members of the organization, are deeply concerned over the incident.”

The group, including seven OSCE military observers, a German translator and five Ukrainian soldiers, were detained on Friday and are being held in Ukraine’s eastern city of Slavyansk.