Russia blocks Ukrainian navy from entering Sea of Azov

Published November 26, 2018
Russian fighters fly over a bridge connecting the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula after three Ukrainian navy vessels were stopped from entering the Sea of Azov.—Reuters
Russian fighters fly over a bridge connecting the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula after three Ukrainian navy vessels were stopped from entering the Sea of Azov.—Reuters

KIEV: Ukraine’s navy said on Sunday that Russia’s border guards had rammed one of its tugboats in the Black Sea off Moscow-annexed Cri­mea in “openly aggressive actions.” Ukr­aine said the incident took place as three of its ships including two small warships were heading for the port of Mariupol in the Sea of Azov, an area of heightened tensions between the countries.

Russia accused Kiev of illegally entering its waters and deliberately provoking a conflict. Russia claims the waters off Crimea after annexing the peninsula in 2014.

A Russian border guard ship, the Don, “rammed into our tugboat,” the Ukrainian navy said, adding that this damaged its engine, outer shell and guardrail.

Russia’s ships “carried out openly aggressive actions against Ukrainian naval ships,” it said.

Russia sent two military helicopters to the region to watch the ships, the Ukrainian navy said.

Russian Sukhoi-25 fighter jets were also patrolling the area, the RIA Novosti state news agency reported.

Ukraine complained its ships later got stuck at the Kerch Strait leading into the Sea of Azov, ostensibly because they were blocked by a tanker.

Naval spokesman Oleg Chalyk said on Sunday evening: “The ships are still standing in front of the Kerch Strait. Traffic is blocked.”

Russian politicians in contrast accused Ukraine of acting at the behest of its Western allies and deliberately attempting to escalate the conflict.

Crimean leader Sergei Aksyonov wrote on Facebook that he “was sure the Western masters of the Kiev regime are behind this act of provocation.” Pyotr Tolstoy, deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, warned on Facebook that “the Ukrainian puppet authorities... are risking unleashing a large military conflict.” “One thing is clear: Russia won’t allow military provocations in its territorial waters,” he said.

Russia’s FSB security service, which oversees the border guard service, said in a statement quoted by Russian news agencies that the Ukrainian ships “illegally entered a temporarily closed area of Russian territorial waters.” It said Ukraine’s ships were carrying out “provocative actions” and “their aim is clear: to create a conflict situation in this region.” Ukraine said it gave Russia advance warning of its ships’ route, which Its ships are obliged to take to reach the Sea of Azov.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2018

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.