KIEV, Nov. 24 - Three Russian oil tankers were detained by Ukrainian border patrol boats Wednesday for illegally crossing the border in the area between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, border service reported Thursday.

The tankers, Volgoneft-132, Volgoneft-250 and Volgoneft-269, which were detained in Ukrainian territorial waters in the Kerch Strait, had been later released, the service reported.