Russian ships attacked Ukrainian Navy boats
Early in the morning on 25th of November two Ukrainian Navy armored artillery boats and a tugboat set off from the Black Sea in Odessa via the Kerch Strait to Mariupol in the Azov Sea. The Ukrainian navy assert that they had informed in advance of the boats’ planned movements “in accordance with international norms”. The boats were met by four Russian ‘border guard vessels’. one of which hit the much smaller Ukrainian tugboat. It was the Russian ships who later opened fire on the Ukrainian boats before seizing all three, apparently wounding six of the Ukrainian crew members. Russia also used a large boat to totally block passage under the Kerch Bridge, making the claims by the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson that Ukraine’s actions were ‘seem unacceptable’.
Ukrainian officials called the actions an aggressive attack in contravention of the United Nations Convention of the Law of Sea and of the 2003 Ukraine-Russia treaty on shared use of the Azov Sea and Kerch Strait.
The Federal Security Service (FSS) of the Russian Federation claimed that Ukrainian boats had illegally entered Russian territorial waters, a 12-mile strip along the Russian coast, and ignored Russian coast guards. Center of public relations of FSS reported “for the purpose of stopping Ukrainian Navy boats weapons were used. As a result, three ships were arrested. Three wounded soldiers received medical assistance. There is no threat to their lives.” Reported by Interfax (https://www.interfax.ru/russia/639365)
President Petro Poroshenko has supported the idea of introducing martial law during The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine session. On 26th of November parliament of Ukraine have to make decision of introducing martial law by voting.
By Vasyl Dyba
What martial law could mean for Ukraine
https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/what-martial-law-in-ukraine-could-mean-for-nation.html
Updates...
Nato Statement
https://liveuamap.com/en/2018/25-november-nato-is-closely-monitoring-developments-in-the
European Union Statement
https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/54392/statement-spokesperson-escalating-tensions-azov-sea_en?fbclid=IwAR1t96jbaqOKSOUXjUSWyz-ic_76TsT28QQujrbbQ4gqXf4J-aaU1f9ito8
An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the situation in the Black and Azov Seas due to Russian aggression against Ukraine will take place on Monday, November 26. U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Nikki Haley wrote this on Twitter
https://twitter.com/nikkihaley/status/1066847973437521925
Latest Update...
Martial law is called BUT
- limited to border regions
- Spatial expansion only in case of an invasion of Russia
- limited to 30 days (ends on 27.12.)
- it was noted in a separate vote that the first round of the presidential election, as planned, on 31.03. takes place.
Overall, many questions remain unanswered: is this necessary? How does Russia react? How does martial law influence the further course of the elections?
