The waters near the Crimean Peninsula were the site of a tense standoff between Russian and Ukrainian ships that involved a chase, some gunfire, and fighter jets, followed by strong statements from Moscow and Kiev.
At around 7am Moscow time (4am GMT) on Sunday, two artillery boats and a tugboat belonging to the Ukrainian Navy crossed the Russian maritime border in the Black Sea and headed to the Kerch Strait.
Vessels generally pass through the strait after proper notification and according to a schedule. Kiev said it notified Moscow in advance that its navy ships would be sailing through the area. Moscow denies that it was given warning.
But Moscow denied that it was given warning, with Russian Federal Security Service responsible for maintaining order at the border saying the Ukrainian ships had not followed the procedure.
The three Ukrainian vessels – the ‘Berdiansk’, the ‘Nikopol’ and the ‘Yany Kapu’ – were ignoring “legal demands to stop” and “performing dangerous maneuvers,” and the Russian warships had to open fire to force them to stop, the FSB said. The ships were then seized and towed to the Crimean port of Kerch.
Russia has confirmed its vessels have used weapons to stop Ukrainian ships that had entered Russian waters in the Black Sea illegally. Three Ukrainian sailors were wounded and “have been given medical assistance,” according to the FSB, with media reporting that the Ukrainian sailors were held by Russian authorities.
Following the clash at sea, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko proposed to declare martial law in the country. The proposal has been approved by the Ukrainian National Security Council, and will go before parliament on Monday for final approval.
NATO has urged both parties to show restraint. NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said in a statement that NATO has been “closely monitoring developments in the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait,” while voicing support to Ukraine.
“NATO fully supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity, including its navigation rights in its territorial waters,” the statement read.
The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss the escalation, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said. The meeting was requested by both Russia and Ukraine, diplomatic sources told AFP.
Source: Agencies
