German police detain two teenagers on suspicion of stabbing 17-year-old Ukrainian basketball player Volodymyr Yermakov

Essen, Germany (Svidomi) — German police have detained two teenagers on suspicion of a knife attack on 17-year-old Ukrainian basketball player Volodymyr Yermakov, the Essen police press service says.

The suspects were a 15-year-old Turkish German and a 14-year-old Greek German who had previously "repeatedly caught the eye of the criminal police".

An arrest warrant is being prepared for the 15-year-old for negligent homicide and infliction of dangerous bodily harm.

On the evening of February 10, in German Oberhausen, two groups of people got into a verbal argument on public transport. After they got off the bus, the conflict escalated into a physical altercation. 

A total of four young people were seriously injured. In addition to the two Ukrainians, a 14-year-old Syrian and a 13-year-old German Lebanese girl were injured. All were taken to hospital.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that it had taken special control of the investigation into the murder of a Ukrainian basketball player in Germany. The Consulate General in Düsseldorf has already held talks with the head of the Essen police. 

"The consular office is also monitoring the treatment of the other injured Ukrainian. He [Kozachenko] is being provided with the necessary medical care in an Essen hospital. The condition of our citizen is stable, there are no threats to his life," adds Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko.