WATCH: UN envoy blocked from leaving cafe in Crimea. UN confirms the Robert Serry has not been abducted
The U.N. deputy secretary-general has denied reports from Ukrainian officials that a U.N. special envoy was kidnapped in Crimea.
WATCH: Un Envoy Robert Serry is escorted to airport by Pro-Russian militia
Eliasson says the armed men ordered Serry to leave Crimea and go to the airport. Eliasson said Serry refused but he couldn’t move because his car was blocked so he got out and started walking away.
Eliasson, who is in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, spoke to reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York by telephone. He said he had spoken to Serry 20 minutes earlier.
LISTEN: Global’s Paul Johnson reports on the situation in Simferopol
Serry “is in good shape physically. He is not kidnapped,” Eliasson said. “He is now walking back to his hotel after stopping by in a cafe to get guidance to reach the hotel.”
ITV reporter James Mates was with Serry at a coffee shop and while pro-Russia protesters reportedly prevented the U.N. special envoy from leaving.
Mates said Serry asked the reporter and his crew to stay with him and continue filming.
Mates posted photos and updates from his official Twitter account.
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