Ukraine Releases Crew of Russian Tanker

Ukraine has released the crew of a Russian tanker detained in the port of Izmail, but the vessel is still being held by Ukrainian authorities, RIA news agency cited the Russian embassy in Ukraine as saying.

Ukraine said earlier on Thursday it had detained a Russian tanker for its alleged involvement in the seizure of three Ukrainian vessels by Russia in November, and Moscow threatened consequences if Russian citizens were "taken hostage". 

(Reuters, Reporting by Andrey Ostroukh and Anastasia Teterevleva; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Alison Williams)