The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expressed a strong protest against the decision of the Moscow Lefortovo court to extend the arrest of Ukrainian journalist Roman Sushchenko until June 30, 2017. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed that Sushchenko "illegally detained in Russia on falsified charges".

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry demands from the Russian side "to stop arbitrariness against illegally detained Ukrainian citizens, to immediately release Sushchenko and ensure his unhindered return to Ukraine," the commentary on the official website of the ministry.

"The judicial power of the Russian Federation once again neglected the petitions of protection of the Ukrainian citizen and the consul of Ukraine about the change for Roman Suschenko of preventive measures for house arrest. This, like the provocative nature of his detention and the groundlessness of the charges against Roman, is a demonstrative evidence that politically engaged cases against Ukrainian citizens who are illegally detained in Russia are an integral part of the hybrid war waged by the aggressor state against Ukraine and its people ", The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Sushchenko's arrest extended to court in Moscow on April 26.