Ukrainian ships fired on, seized
MOSCOW: Russia reopened the Kerch Strait near Crimea to shipping yesterday after firing on and seizing three Ukrainian naval ships, a move that triggered a dangerous new crisis between the two countries.
Russia’s FSB security service said yesterday its border patrol boats had seized two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and a tugboat after opening fire on them and wounding several sailors. It is the most serious clash between Moscow and Kiev in years.
Russia had previously blocked the Kerch Strait near Russiaannexed Crimea to stop the ships from passing from the Black Sea into the Sea of Azov, saying the small flotilla had not notified it of its plans in advance and ignored warnings to stop while manoeuvring dangerously.
With relations still raw after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and its backing for a proMoscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine, the incident risks pushing the two countries towards a wider conflict and is likely to renew Western calls for more sanctions on Moscow.
Kiev, which denied its ships had done anything wrong, accused Russia of military aggression and asked for the international community to mobilise to punish Russia.
The UN Security Council was to meet on the latest developments at the request of Russia and Ukraine overnight, diplomats said.
The European Union said in a statement it expected Russia to restore freedom of passage via the Kerch Strait and urged both sides to act with the utmost restraint to deescalate the situation. A Nato spokeswoman issued a similar appeal.
Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said on Twitter his country gave its full support to Ukraine.
‘‘The development is very disturbing and can escalate,’’ he said.
Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said her country also condemned what she called Russian aggression and called on Moscow to release the captured vessels.
A witness said the three Ukrainian naval vessels seized by Russia were being held at the Crimean port of Kerch. People in navalstyle uniforms could be seen around the vessels, which bore no sign of damage, the witness said.
The FSB said three Ukrainian sailors were wounded in the incident and were getting medical care. Their lives were not in danger, it said.
The Ukrainian parliament was due to consider a proposal to impose martial law for 60 days after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met his military and security chiefs yesterday.
Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, then built a giant road bridge linking it to southern Russia that straddles the Kerch Strait — a narrow stretch of water that links the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, which is home to two of Ukraine’s most important ports.
A bilateral treaty gives both Russia and Ukraine the right to use the Sea of Azov, which lies between them.
Russia’s control of Crimea, where its Black Sea Fleet is based, and of the bridge mean it is able to control shipping flows.
The crisis began yesterday after Russia stopped the three Ukrainian ships from entering the Sea of Azov by placing a cargo ship beneath the bridge.
Ukraine said a Russian ship had earlier rammed its tugboat in a failed to attempt to stop it. — Reuters