On the defensive
Russia, Ukraine standoff drags on as both presidents continue to provoke each other.
KIEV: Ukraine’s president donned combat fatigues to implement martial law in much of the country, which Russia denounced as a cynical political trick as both sides ratcheted up tensions after a standoff in the Black Sea.
Each side blamed the other for the bellicose turn of events, with Ukraine saying Russia is preparing for a full-scale invasion and Moscow calling it a political stunt by an unpopular president facing tough elections.
In Sunday’s confrontation, three Ukrainian naval vessels were heading from the Black Sea into the Sea of Azov when they were blocked by the Russian coast guard near the Kerch Strait between Russia’s mainland and the Crimean Peninsula it annexed from Ukraine.
After many tense hours of manoeuvring, the Russians opened fire and seized the Ukrainian vessels and crew.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko responded by ordering martial law in much of the country with parliamentary approval.
Poroshenko toured a military training centre on Wednesday in the Chernihiv region bordering Russia, one of the areas where martial law was imposed.
Speaking to reporters as smoke billowed from a nearby shooting range, the camouflage-clad president pledged “not to allow the enemy to attack Ukraine” and announced a hike in salaries for servicemen.
Poroshenko initially sought to impose martial law for two months, which meant presidential elections scheduled for March would have to be scrapped due to election rules.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Poroshenko of provoking the naval incident in order to shore up his sagging popularity.
“The Black Sea incident was a provocation organised by the government,” Putin said, alleging Poroshenko wanted to “create obstacles for his rivals”.