AKIPRESS.COM - Russia is expected to return three seized Ukrainian naval vessels sometime on November 18 as German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas travels to Kyiv, RFE/RL reports.

The three ships were seen early on November 17 being towed off the eastern coast of the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, accompanied by Russian naval vessels.

Interfax cited a source in Russia's Federal Security Service as saying the handover would take place in neutral waters in the Black Sea, whereas Ukrainian media reported that the vessels would be transferred about 60 miles from Ukraine's port city of Odesa near the Tarkhankut Cape off the Crimean peninsula.

The ships -- two small armored vessels and a tug boat -- were seized along with 24 crewmen by Russia off the coast of Crimea in November 2018.