Around 300 fishermen were trapped on an ice floe that broke off the coast of the Sakhalin region of Russia and drifted into the Sea of Okhotsk, prompting the Russian Emergencies Ministry to take action.
Boats and helicopters sent to the region as part of the operation launched by the ministry have rescued 139 fishermen so far.
The ministry said some fishermen refused to leave the ice floe without catching their catch.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova confirmed that Russia officially recognizes Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. The statement followed backlash over Russian Vice President Vladimir Medinsky’s remarks referring to the region as “disputed.”
Zakharova clarified that Medinsky was discussing the humanitarian aspect of the conflict and urged against misinterpreting his words. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry criticized Medinsky’s comments and reminded that Russia’s official stance recognizes Karabakh as Azerbaijani territory.
TR