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Russian forces fulfilled ‘military duty’ in stopping Ukraine ships: Putin
MOSCOW, Nov 28, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said
Russia’s border guards were “fulfilling their military duty” when they seized
three Ukrainian ships off Crimea last week.
“They were fulfilling their military duty. They were fulfilling their
lawful functions in protecting Russia’s borders,” Putin told an investment
forum in Moscow.
On Sunday, Russian forces fired on, boarded and captured three of Kiev’s
ships, sparking the most dangerous crisis between the ex-Soviet neighbours in
years.
Moscow also captured 24 Ukrainian sailors.
Putin called the incident a Kiev-orchestrated “provocation”, and said the
Ukrainian vessels did not respond to warnings from Russian border guards.
“Military vessels intruded into Russian territorial waters and did not
answer (the border guards)… What were they supposed to do?”, he said.
“They would do the same in your country, this is absolutely obvious,” he
added, responding to a question from a foreign investor.
The Ukrainian ships were trying to pass through the Kerch Strait from the
Black Sea into the Sea of Azov.
“These territorial waters were always ours, even before Crimea joined
Russia,” Putin said, referring to Moscow’s 2014 annexation of the peninsula.
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.
US President Donald Trump has said he may cancel a long-awaited summit with
Putin at the G20 this week as a result of the confrontation.
BSS/AFP/FI/ 1925 hrs