UKRAINE: UKRAINE SAYS MOSLEM FORCES IN BOSNIA HAVE TAKEN UKRANIAN COMMANDER HOSTAGE.

Record ID: 646319

  • Title: UKRAINE: UKRAINE SAYS MOSLEM FORCES IN BOSNIA HAVE TAKEN UKRANIAN COMMANDER HOSTAGE.
  • Date: 18th July 1995
  • Summary: KIEV, UKRAINE (JULY 18, 1995) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: NEWS CONFERENCE 0.09 2. MV: FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIAL VOLODYMYR YELCHENKO SAYING THAT ONE OF THE UKRAINIAN PEACEKEEPERS WAS TAKEN HOSTAGE AND WAS THREATENED TO BE KILLED UNLESS OTHER PEACEKEEPERS GIVE UP THEIR WEAPONS (UKRAINIAN) 1.02 3. GV: NEWS CONFERENCE 1.06 4. MV: YELCHENKO SAYS IN UKRAINIAN THAT UKRAINIAN OFFICIALS DID NOT HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THE FATE OF THE REMAINING 79 PEACEKEEPERS AND DID NOT HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH THEM (UKRAINIAN) 2.18 5. GV: NEWS CONFERENCE 2.29 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 2nd August 1995 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KIEV, UKRAINE
  • City:
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Reuters ID: LVA4Q2913IXDRPJV63UQSRZ4QT1E
  • Story Text: Ukraine said on Tuesday (July 18) that Moslem forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina had taken hostage a Ukrainian commander in the United Nations-protected area of Gorazde and threatened to shoot him unless his men gave up their weapons.

    Foreign Ministry official Volodymyr Yelchenko said Ukraine would not withdraw its peacekeepers from former Yugoslavia despite threats to them in Gorazde and Zepa, a second Moslem "safe area" under threat from Bosnian Serbs.

    Yelchenko told a news conference the head of an 80-strong Ukrainian unit in Gorazde had been seized by Moslem fighters after he went to negotiate with them on Monday evening. Several deadlines for the Ukrainians to give up their weapons had passed without incident.

    "They are holding him hostage and say that if all weapons are not given up, the commander will be shot dead," Yelchenko said.

    "They first issued demands for the weapons to be given up within hours, then by morning. So far, he has not been shot." Yelchenko, head of the ministry's U.N. department, said officials in Kiev had no information on the situation facing 79 Ukrainian peacekeepers in Zepa, where Bosnian Serb forces were reported to be attacking with tanks and artillery.

    Ukraine has had troops in former Yugoslavia since July 1992 and its current complement is divided equally between Bosnia and Croatia. Twelve Ukrainians have been killed and more than 50 wounded.


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