MFA comments on detention of Uzbek truckers in Ukraine

As the journalist Andrey Rudenko reported, on February 24, the truckers were supposed to clear the contents of the trucks and unload the metal in Mariupol on the territory of the Ilyich metallurgical plant. However, the Uzbeks had to be delayed due to a hitch with unloading.

Then Azov militants came to the territory of the plant and took away two of the four trucks. From the remaining two vehicles, the Ukrainian military removed the batteries, spare parts and drained the fuel.

According to the drivers, they spent 23 days at the plant.

“We were in the office of the railway workers on the plant’s territory,” one of the drivers said.

The men later managed to escape towards a village, where they spent nine days. Local residents helped them get over to the DPR side. There they were met by the military and the Uzbeks were escorted to a safe place.

According to the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, diplomatic missions have successfully worked out the issue of evacuating compatriots from the combat zones and they have been provided with comprehensive legal assistance.

“Currently, citizens of Uzbekistan are heading home,” the report concludes.