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A fresh round of tensions sparked between Russia and Ukraine over maritime access to the Sea of Kiev through Kerch Strait. The weekend saw the worst confrontation between the two neighbors since Russia’s annexation of Crimea back in 2014.
According to reports, the incident involved a chase, some gunfire, and fighter jets, followed by strong statements from Moscow and Kiev.
As it happened:
Three Ukrainian navy vessels were sailing between two Ukrainian ports; from Odessa in the Black Sea to Mariupol in the Azov Sea. The only waterway that connects these is the Kerch Strait between Crimea and mainland Russia. Ukraine says that it notified Moscow in advance that its navy ships would be sailing through the area. Moscow denies that it was given warning. All traffic in the area is controlled by the Crimean seaport of Kerch, and every ship should contact the facility, report her route and destination, and receive permission to sail through the Strait.
According to reports, around 4:00 GMT on Sunday, two artillery boats and a tugboat belonging to the Ukrainian navy reportedly crossed into Russian maritime border and approached the Kerch Strait. According to Russia, these vessels had not followed the procedure. The Russian officers repeatedly asked the Ukrainian vessels to leave Russia's territorial waters, but they ignored those requests. The ships also entered waters that had been temporarily closed to navigation. Russia then blocked the only passage through the Kerch Strait using a bulk carrier, which was accompanied by other security vessels. Soon several Russian fighter jets joined force; Ka-52 gunship along with Su-25 strike fighters. As the Ukrainian vessels continued their journey approaching the bridge, Russian vessels finally opened fire, which was followed by tense moments of a chase and finally seizure of these three boats.
Both sides have accused each other of unnecessary provocation. According to Ukraine, 6 crew members were injured in the incident.
Soon after the incident, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called an emergency meeting of his defense to discuss the options. He called on the Military chiefs to remain prepared for any battle or worst. Currently, the Ukraine parliament is considering whether to impose Marshall Law over the incident, which would provide more leeway to the President and defense chiefs to take actions against any Russian aggression.
Should the incident escalate further, it could lead to a major geopolitical crisis in the region since Russia’s annexation of Crimea back in 2014.
