ABOVE: Igor Lermakova and his wife Maryna Lermakova are escorted into the police station. Photo: The Phuket News
The military is supporting five soldiers released without charge after being accused of abducting a Ukrainian couple in Phuket, saying it was a “misunderstanding” by police.
Two days after the arrest of the Nakhon Si Thammarat-based soldiers, military officials said Sunday the soldiers took action at the behest of a Ukrainian company who accused Maryna Lermakova and her husband Igor Lermakova of embezzling about THB15 million.
“We checked evidence brought by the representative of the company,” Maj. Gen. Teenachat Jinda-Ngern was quoted Saturday in The Phuket News. “At first we were going to go through the formal process, but because there were concerns the couple might flee, the Ukrainian company asked the military to handle the matter. We decided to be the mediator between Fornus Ltd and Igor.”
READ: Police arrest soldiers for kidnapping Ukrainian couple
It’s unclear what precedent there is for the military intervening in such a matter at the request of a foreign company, but as Maj. Gen. Teenachat pointed out, martial law gives the army a free hand to maintain security. He said the army elected to serve as “mediators” with no personal gain.
The soldiers were arrested along with five civilians, who the army said were hired by the creditor to get the money. Teenachat told reporters the soldiers and civilians didn’t abduct the couple, they were just “escorting” and protecting them.
According to Teenachat “there was a misunderstanding. I understand that the police did what they were suppose to do, but they might have misunderstood the role of the military in the situation.”
Vladimir Evladov, right, who reportedly convinced five Thai soldiers to help get money back for his company Fornus, sits with several civilians he also hired. Photo: The Phuket News
One day after Friday’s arrest, Phuket city police had shifted the blame entirely to the civilians and charged them with kidnapping, making threats and extortion. Those four men and one woman showed up to stage their own news conference where they said the soldiers had asked them to act as interpreters.
The arrest happened Friday after Maryna Lermakova, 32, told police she and her husband had been taken hostage, and that their abductors demanded THB15 million from them. She said had been let go after promising not to go to authorities while they took her husband to a bank to get the money.
Police located the group and arrested the 10 people on grounds of abduction and extortion. They have all since been released.
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