The Coast Guard of the Russian Federal Security Service attacked and seized three Ukrainian Navy boats on Nov. 25 after the Ukrainian vessels tried to go from the Black Sea into the Azov Sea through the Russian-controlled Kerch Strait. Six Ukrainian sailors were wounded in the shooting. The three Ukrainian vessels were taken to the port of Kerch in annexed Crimea. Ukrainian Chief of Staff said there had been 23 naval officers onboard Ukrainian Navy boats.

The attack came as the culmination of the months-long tensions in the Kerch Strait as Russia de facto seized control of the strait that is supposed to be used commonly by the two nations according to a 2003 bilateral agreement.

The Russian authorities claimed that Ukrainian vessels provoked the attack by trespassing the “prohibited area” – although a 12-mile strip they refer to is the territorial waters of Crimea, a Ukrainian peninsula invaded and annexed by Russia in 2014.

Ukrainian parliament will meet at 4 p.m. on Nov. 26 to consider imposing martial law, as offered by President Petro Poroshenko the night following the attack.

Ukraine approves martial law after clash with Russia over captured vessels

Here is the Ukrainian president's statement in English on the introduction of martial law from 9am on 28 November.



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