The command ship “Donbass” of the Ukrainian Navy, which had previously moved towards the Kerch Strait, lay on the opposite course, the FSB’s Public Relations Center (DSP) reported on Thursday 9 December.
“The control ship” Donbass “lay on the opposite course from the Kerch Strait, does not respond to inquiries,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Center noted that the actions of the Ukrainian ship are regarded as provocative and pose a threat to the safety of navigation.
At the same time, the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov indicated that the Ukrainian ship is in the Sea of Azov legally, since this is a shared water area.
“It is very strange that the Russian special services saw a threat from a search and rescue vessel – a vessel without weapons. In general, the Sea of Azov is a shared water area, we are there on a legal basis, ”Lb.ua quoted him as saying.
Earlier on Thursday, the FSB DSP said that a Ukrainian Navy ship had withdrawn from the raid of the port of Mariupol and moved in the direction of the Kerch Strait. The vessel was in the water area of the Sea of Azov at a distance of 18 nautical miles to the Kerch Strait and did not fulfill the requirement to change the course.
On November 25, 2018, in the Kerch Strait, three Ukrainian BMC ships – Berdyansk, Yany Kapu and Nikopol – invaded Russian territorial waters, ignoring the demand of border guards to stop. As a result, they were detained by force and taken to Kerch. In Moscow, the incident was called a provocation.
Criminal cases were opened against 24 Ukrainian sailors for violating the border. In November 2019, the Russian side handed over the detained ships to Kiev as a gesture of goodwill. The sailors were also able to return home.
Source: IZ
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
