ZCZC
BFF-35
UKRAINE-RUSSIA-CONFLICT
Putin warns against ‘reckless’ moves after Ukraine declares martial law
MOSCOW, Nov 27, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin warned
Ukraine against any “reckless acts” on Tuesday after Kiev declared martial
law in response to Moscow’s seizure of three of its navy vessels.
The Ukrainian parliament late on Monday voted in favour of President Petro
Poroshenko’s request for the introduction of martial law in parts of the
country for 30 days.
The decision came as Ukraine and Russia face their most dangerous crisis in
years after Russian forces fired on, boarded and captured Kiev’s ships on
Sunday off the coast of Crimea.
The incident was the first major confrontation at sea in the long-running
conflict pitting Ukraine against Moscow and Russian-backed separatists in the
country’s east.
It has raised fears of a wider escalation — in a conflict that has killed
more than 10,000 people since 2014 — and prompted international calls for
restraint and offers of mediation.
Martial law gives Ukrainian authorities the power to mobilise citizens with
military experience, regulate the media and restrict public rallies in
affected areas.
Moscow has accused Kiev of planning Sunday’s confrontation as a provocation
aimed at drumming up support for Poroshenko ahead of elections next year and
convincing Western governments to impose further sanctions on Russia.
In a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Putin
expressed “serious concern” over the introduction of martial law, the Kremlin
said in a statement.
Putin said Kiev’s actions were “clearly taken in view of the election
campaign in Ukraine”.
He said he hoped Berlin could intervene with Ukrainian authorities “to
dissuade them from further reckless acts”.
– Dramatic television footage –
Sunday’s incident has been playing out on Russian and Ukrainian television
screens, with dramatic footage of Russian ships chasing down a Ukrainian
tugboat that was trying to pass through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea
into the Sea of Azov.
Ukraine has accused Russian border patrol vessels of ramming the tugboat,
which was accompanied by two small warships, and of firing on the Ukrainian
vessels.
Russia’s FSB security service, which oversees border forces, confirmed
weapons had been fired and the vessels seized, but accused Ukrainian ships of
crossing illegally into Russian waters and of ignoring warnings.
Tensions have been building for months over the Kerch Strait, especially
after Russia built a new bridge across the waterway that gives it a land
connection to Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014.
Moscow has so far resisted calls to release the three ships or the 24
sailors it has detained, suggesting they could face criminal action.
In a move sure to further anger Kiev, Russian state television late on
Monday aired footage of some of the captured sailors being questioned by
Moscow’s security services.
One of the sailors is heard saying “the actions of the Ukrainian armed
vessels in the Kerch Strait had a provocatory character” — parroting the
version of events put forward by Russian authorities.
Western governments have rallied behind Kiev in the dispute, accusing
Russia of illegally blocking access to the Sea of Azov and of taking military
action without justification.
Kiev urged the United States and European Union to impose more sanctions on
Russia over the latest incident.
Britain, Canada, France, Germany and others expressed support for Kiev on
Monday, with EU President Donald Tusk calling for Russia to return the
Ukrainian sailors and ships and “refrain from further provocations”.
The United Nations Security Council met in an emergency session on the
crisis on Monday, where US envoy Nikki Haley called the seizure of the ships
an “outrageous violation of sovereign Ukrainian territory” and slammed “yet
another reckless Russian escalation”.
She did not, however, threaten further sanctions on Russia and President
Donald Trump suggested it was up to European governments to handle the
crisis.
“We don’t like what’s happening and hopefully it will get straightened out.
I know Europe is not — they are not thrilled. They’re working on it too.
We’re all working on it together,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1445 hrs