© Ruptly
Kerch Strait entrance blocked by Russian tanker after unauthorized incursion by Ukrainian military vessels
Tensions are running high around the Kerch Strait, separating Crimea from mainland Russia after Ukrainian vessels violated the Russian border.
The passage was blocked by a cargo ship and fighter jets were scrambled.
The Russian authorities have taken some drastic measures in an attempt to prevent any provocations from the Ukrainian Navy ships that have approached the Kerch Strait while sailing through the Russian territorial waters without authorization.
Russia has literally stopped all navigation through the waterway using a cargo ship. Videos from the scene released by the Russian media show a large bulk freighter accompanied by two Russian military boats standing under the arch of the Crimea Bridge and blocking the only passage through the strait.
Comment: Update 25 Nov - 21:30 CET
The FSB has released footage of the Ukrainian navy vessels being chased by Russian ones:
The Ukrainian vessels are now apparently
on their way back to Berdyansk.
Update 25 Nov - 22:40 CET
Russia fired at three of the Ukie ships - the
Berdiansk, the
Nikopol and the
Yany Kapu - then detained their crews for violating Russian territorial waters. The FSB
also reports that three Ukrainian sailors were wounded in the firefight. In one stroke, a third of Ukraine's navy has been lost.
Update 25 Nov - 23:20 CET
NATO has
weighed in on the dispute, taking Ukraine's side, of course.
Update 25 Nov - 23:50 CET
Poroshenko has, uhm, proposed to
declare martial law for 60 days! He has instructed the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to convene an emergency meeting for the proposal:
The Ukrainian leader says Kiev does not plan to carry out any offensive operations if martial law is imposed.
Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, Poroshenko said that Kiev has asked NATO and the EU to "coordinate our actions to ensure the protection of Ukraine."
"We appeal to the whole pro-Ukrainian international coalition: We must unite efforts," Poroshenko said, adding that he would discuss further steps with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Monday.
Talks with the leaders of Ukraine-allied countries have also been planned for Monday, he said.
Poroshenko sought to assure the public that Kiev's decision to impose martial law will not infringe upon the rights and freedoms of its citizens, noting that Ukraine will only carry out defensive actions to protect its territory and people.
He claimed that the imposition of martial law will not affect the standoff in the breakaway Lugansk and Donetsk Republics, which have been in a shaky state of truce with Kiev.
On Monday afternoon, the Ukrainian leader demanded Russia releases the sailors and ships as a "first step to deescalate the situation in the Azov Sea." Russian officials earlier said that several sailors were injured in the incident on the Black Sea and were taken to hospital.
Despite Poroshenko's promises, here's what martial law will allow (keep in mind there is an election coming up, and Poroshenko has support from only about 8% of the population):
Martial law allows the Ukrainian government to limit a range of civil freedoms otherwise protected by the constitution, such as the freedom of the press, freedom of movement, and the freedom of assembly.
Under martial law, Kiev can, for instance, introduce restrictions on travel up to barring residents from leaving the country altogether. Martial law also envisages stricter control at border checkpoints, which may include thorough searches of vehicles, cargo, and other belongings.
The move also allows for increased control over the media. Publications, TV and radio channels can be shut down if considered to constitute a threat to Ukraine's national security.
Martial law gives authorities the right to ban peaceful rallies, protests and demonstrations, as well as other mass actions. It also potentially allows banning activities by political parties and public associations.
Update 26 Nov - 09:10 EST
In addition to calling for the return of their sailors, Kiev is
demanding monetary compensation, new sanctions, and military assistance. That's chutzpah. Kiev is the party that violated international law, specifically Articles 19 and 21 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Poroshenko has now
imposed martial law (but the Rada still has yet to vote on the measure). Ukraine's army is on "
full combat alert".
Hooligans
rallied outside the Russian consulate in Kharkov, launching lit flares into the property and setting a tree on fire: "The attack on the Russian mission unfolded right in front of a police line. The officers could be seen standing still, failing to intervene as projectiles flew over their heads and hit the building." Similar protests took place outside the
Russian embassy in Kiev, with ideologically-obsessed Ukrainians hurling flares and smoke grenades, and burning tires:
Scuffles broke out between riot police and protesters as they gathered outside the Russian diplomatic mission in the Ukrainian capital on Sunday. The building was soon covered in smoke as security forces tried to quell the crowd.
At one point, the angry crowd began chanting "Death to Russia!"
Videos circulating online captured a blazing car with diplomatic license plates parked not far from the Russian facility. The hood of the vehicle burned for some time in front of an apartment block before emergency services arrived.
...
Another rally occurred near the Russian consulate in Lvov, western Ukraine. An angry crowd, including right-wing activists from the National Corps, descended on the building and burned tires during Sunday night into Monday morning. The participants said they were decrying what they called Russian "aggression" against the Ukrainian Navy.
Later on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov slammed the rally in Kiev and accused police of failing to stop the "mayhem" in front of the Russian diplomatic facility, RIA Novosti reported. "It's radical nationalists and neo-Nazis who now call the tune in Ukraine, which has only been confirmed by yesterday's disgusting action at the Russian Embassy in Kiev," the top Russian diplomat said.
Russia has called the UNSC to hold an
emergency meeting over the Black Sea clash, scheduled for today. Russian FM Lavrov made the following
statements:
Moscow is urging Ukraine's Western backers "to calm down those who try to score political points" ahead of the March 2019 presidential elections, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Russian media on Monday. He suggested that the tense maritime encounter, off the Crimean coast, was premeditated by Kiev.
The whole incident was staged "upon a blessing, or at least, according to a direct order from top leadership [of Ukraine]," the minister maintained. The government in Kiev "were calculating benefits" from the provocative act, hoping that the US and Europe "will unconditionally side with the provocateur."
Lavrov advised Kiev "to behave in a saner way" as Western powers "are increasingly embarrassed by the Ukrainian leadership."
The remarks were echoed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov who also said the timing of the mid-sea clash was notable in terms of upcoming events. "This decision feels like an electoral intrigue, given the situation in Ukraine," he opined.
The presidential aide warned that it would be "wrong and dangerous to achieve any electoral objectives by waving the banner of war."
The Russian Foreign Ministry released the following
statement:
"Russia has repeatedly warned the Kiev regime and its Western supporters that fanning up the hysteria over the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait was dangerous. It's obvious that there was a provocation, carefully planned in terms of location and form, which is aimed at flaring up yet another point of conflict in the region and creating a new pretext to impose more sanctions against Russia."
Comment: As Trump makes his relationship with both the Saudi's and Israel quite clear to the world, seemingly, the Saudi's and Israel are also becoming more open about theirs:
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- Tel Aviv & Abu Dhabi hostilities all for show: Israel, Saudi officials have close relationship, mutual interests as revealed in secret meetings
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