The Ukrainians detained by the new Libyan authorities are former military engineers, the Ukrainian newspaper Segodnya wrote on Tuesday, citing a Ukrainian security officer.
"Asked by Segodnya, whether the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has any information about our possible mercenaries in Libya, the SBU first deputy chief Volodymyr Rokytsky replied in the negative, but stated that this information is being verified. However, another informed SBU officer stressed that, ‘several Ukrainians detained by the Libyan authorities, were military engineers in the past, and one can only guess in which capacity they had arrived to Libya under a contract with a Russian oil company’," the newspaper said.
"These people arrived in Libya already after the war began, despite our warning that this is very risky," the newspaper quoted Ukrainian Foreign Minister spokesman Oleh Voloshyn as saying.
A source said that even if convicted, the detained men are not at risk, the newspaper said. "Even if the new Libyan authorities manage to prove that one of our specialists took part in the construction of engineering structures for the Gaddafi residence, this is not a crime, and unlikely poses any risk to them. They did not drive tanks or killed people. These are the people who were involved solely in peaceful missions and wanted to make some money, despite the risk and danger. Yes, they can be credited with support for the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, but this has nothing to do with the hostilities," an unnamed former Ukrainian diplomat told the newspaper.
It was reported that the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed the detention in Libya of 23 Ukrainian civilian specialists, who have arrived there to work at Libyan oil facilities. One of them has already been released after the embassy intervened, and the rest are still being checked. No formal charges have been brought by Libyans against the Ukrainian citizens.
Earlier a number of media outlets alleged that Ukrainian mercenaries had been detained in Libya.
