Somali rebels capture UN helicopter with four Ukrainians on board – Ukraine's Foreign Ministry

A UN helicopter that was carrying four Ukrainians and five foreigners has been captured by anti-government forces in Somalia. The names of those taken prisoner have been confirmed, and the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has immediately placed the situation under special control.

Source: Oleh Nikolenko, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, on Facebook; BBC

Quote: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine confirms the capture of four Ukrainians in the territory of Somalia controlled by anti-government forces.

Our citizens were members of the crew of a helicopter of the UN Mission in Somalia which crashed. Their identities have been established. Together with the Ukrainians, there were also five foreigners on board."

Details: Nikolenko said the helicopter belonged to a Ukrainian private company which was fulfilling a UN transportation contract.

He said the Ukrainian Embassy in Kenya and the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN in New York have received urgent instructions from the Foreign Ministry to take the necessary measures.

"We are establishing all the details of the accident, the capture, and the Ukrainians’ condition, and are establishing contact with the company that owned the helicopter in order to coordinate action. We are keeping this situation under special control together with other relevant state agencies," Nikolenko said.

Background: 

• On 10 January, the BBC reported that the armed Somali Islamist group Al-Shabab had seized a United Nations helicopter along with passengers and crew.
• On 12 January, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that four Ukrainian sailors were being held captive by Yemeni Houthis, and Ukraine would work to bring them back.

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