Russian border guard ship rams into Ukrainian Navy tug boat in Kerch Strait
On the morning of November 25, a Russian ship rammed into the tug boat Yana Kapu belonging to the Ukrainian Navy, reported the press service of the Ukrainian Navy.
According to the press service, two Ukrainian small armored boats Berdyansk and Nikopol, accompanied by the tug boat, carried out a planned transition from the port of Odessa to Mariupol. Russia was informed about the ships voyage beforehand.
“However, contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the sea and the Ukrainian-Russian Agreement on the joint use of the Azov Sea and Kerch Strait, several Russian boats committed aggressive actions against naval ships, “ the Ukrainian Navy command stated.
“The Russian border control ship Don rammed into our tug boat, which resulted in damaged to the main engine of the ship, its sheathing and fencing and the loss of the safety raft,"-said the press service of the Ukrainian Navy.
"All illegal actions have been recorded by the crews of ships and the command of the naval forces of Ukraine and will be handed over to the competent international bodies,"-said in a statement.
Russia, in turn, accused the Ukrainian ships Berdyansk, Nikopol and Yana Kapu of illegally entering its territorial waters.
"This morning, at about 07:00 Moscow Time, three ships of the Ukrainian naval forces crossed the state border of Russia and illegally entered the temporarily closed sea area of the Russian Federation. Ukrainian warships continued to move towards the Kerch Strait. This is the area which requires permit for navigation and docking of ships, in accordance with the schedule of traffic and the placement of ships, approved by the captain of the Russian seaport. At the same time, to date, no applications have been submitted, the ships are not included in the schedule of the passage, "-reads the statement of the FSB in Russian-annexed Crimea.
The video, shot from the Russian border guard ship, shows the Russian vessel going towards the Ukrainian tug boat and intentionally ramming into it.
On September 6 at a session of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Ukraine decided to reinforce its Naval presence in the Sea of Azov in connection with Russia’s aggressive actions. On October 12, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko brought into effect the NSDC’s decision to protect Ukraine’s interests in the Sea of Azov, the Black Sea and the Kerch Strait to the south and east of Ukraine. According to Poroshenko, after the occupation of Crimea, the Kremlin’s next target is to occupy the Sea of Azov.