Two gun boats and a tug were captured by
russian forces. A number of ukrainian
crew members were injured. Each country
blames the other for the incident. On
monday Ukrainian MPs are due to vote on
declaring martial law.
The crisis began when Russia accused the Ukrainian ships of illegally entering
its waters. The Russians placed a tanker under a
bridge in the kirch strait. The only
access to the sea of Azov which is
shared between the two countries.
During a meeting of Ukraine's national
security and defense council, President Petro Poroshenko described the Russian
actions as unprovoked and crazy.
Russia has requested an emergency
meeting of the UN security council, which
u.s ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley
says has been called for 11 o'clock new
york time, 1600 greenwich mean time on
monday.
In the morning, Ukraine's burdeance can
nico pull gunboats and the yana kappa
tug, tried to sail from the black seaport
of Odessa to Mariupol in the sea of Azaw.
Ukraine says the Russians tried to
intercept the ships, ramming the tug. the vessels continued towards the Kirch
strait but were prevented by the tanker. Russia scrambled two fighter jets and
two helicopters to the area, it accused
the ships of illegally entering its
waters and said the traffic had been
suspended for security reasons.
The Ukrainian Navy later said the boats
had been hit and disabled as they tried
to leave the area. It said six crew members had been
injured. Russia's FSB later confirmed
that one of its patrol boats had used
force to seize the three Ukrainian
vessels but said only three sailors had
been wounded.
Ukraine said it had informed the
russians of its plan to move its ships
through the sea to Mariupol. Tension between Russia and Ukraine has
been building for months off Crimea.
Under a 2003 treaty between Moscow and Kiev, the Kirch strait and the sea of Azov are shared territorial waters. But recently there, Russia began
inspecting all vessels sailing to or
from Ukrainian ports. The use of force by Russia to seize Ukrainian vessels, with casualties is a
major escalation. But you won't hear moscow taking the
blame.
Under President Vladimir Putin, when russia has used force before its
line of defense has always been, we
didn't start it, that goes for the Russia-Georgia war of 2008 and the
appearance of little green men, Russian Special Forces in Crimea in 2014 which
preceded Moscow's annexation of the Peninsula.
So, expect moscow to pin the blame for
what happened on sunday and for whatever
happens next on President Poroshenko's
government. The European Union called on Russia to
restore freedom of passage at the Kirch
strait and urged all to act with utmost
restraint.
NATO said it fully supports ukraine's
sovereignty and its territorial
integrity, including its navigational
rights in its territorial waters. it said russia should ensure unhindered
access to Ukrainian ports in the Azov Sea.
The shallow sea of Azaw lies east of Crimea and South of the Ukrainian
regions partially seized by pro-russian
separatists. The two Ukrainian ports on its northern
shore berdians Mariupol are
key to exporting grain and produce such
as steel, also for importing coal.
The 2003 treaty between ukraine and
russia guaranteed free navigation to
both countries vessels, but Russia has recently begun inspecting
ships going to or from ukrainian ports.
Earlier this month the EU warned it
would take targeted measures to address
the issue. The inspections began soon after Ukraine
detained a fishing vessel from Crimea in
march.
Moscow says they are necessary for
security reasons, pointing to a potential
threat to the bridge from Ukrainian
radicals. More than 10,000 people have been killed
in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk
region since separatists moved against
the Ukrainian state in april 2014.
Ukraine and the west accuse Russia of
sending its troops to the region and
arming the separatists. Moscow denies this but says that russian
volunteers are helping the rebels.
