Moscow Court Prolongs Pretrial Detention For Ukrainian Director

A court in Moscow has extended the pretrial arrest of Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov, who was detained in Crimea and accused of plotting terrorist attacks.

The Lefortovo District Court's spokeswoman said on July 7 that Sentsov's pretrial detention had been prolonged until October 11.

Sentsov and three other Ukrainian citizens were arrested in May on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks in Crimea's major cities -- Simferopol, Yalta, and Sevastopol.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in March through a controversial referendum that was condemned as illegal by the United States, the European Union, and the UN General Assembly.

Last month, the European Film Academy, the chairman of the Ukrainian Association of Cinematographers, Serhiy Trymbach, and prominent Russian film director Nikita Mikhalkov urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to assist in Sentsov's release.

Based on reporting by Interfax and RIA Novosti