Ukrainians fear Russia invasion after sea battle
UKRAINE will be placed under martial law tomorrow after warning that Russia had ‘moved to a new stage of aggression’ and could even be planning an invasion.
It followed a dramatic skirmish on Sunday in which Russian warships opened fire on Ukrainian gunboats before special forces seized the vessels and their 24 crew members.
President Petro Poroshenko said martial law – the introduction of a military government – would be imposed for 30 days from tomorrow, a move approved by the Kiev parliament last night. He said the escalation was needed to keep his country safe, claiming to have intelligence reports indicating a build-up of troops by Moscow close to the border.
Addressing the nation on television yesterday, Mr Poroshenko said: ‘Russia has been waging a hybrid war against our country for five years. But with an attack on Ukrainian military boats it moved to a new stage of aggression. Reconnaissance data suggest an extremely serious threat of a land-based operation against Ukraine.’
He said enemy forces were ‘ready at any moment for an invasion’ and described Russia as an ‘aggressive, volatile and unpredictable neighbour’.
The Ukrainian vessels – two gunboats and a tug – were hit on Sunday evening near a newlybuilt Russian bridge over the Kerch Strait, Moscow’s only land link to Crimea, which it annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Passing under the bridge is the only way Ukrainian ships can sail into the Sea of Azov, which allows access to its ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk. Before the clash, Russia had blocked the route with a tanker.
Ukraine yesterday released what it said were intercepted radio calls in which Russian navy HQ instructed their crews to attack. In the recording, which could not be verified, a voice can be heard yelling: ‘That was an order to kick them, to ram them, to destroy everything. It seems that the president is controlling all that s**t.’ Russia claimed the Ukrainian vessels were first to aim their guns at Russian ships, who had been forced to respond to the ‘provocation’ with force.
Its FSB security services said the Ukrainians ignored warning shots after they illegally entered Russian territorial waters.
There has been no news of the detained sailors. Ukrainian foreign minister Pavlo Klimkin said Kiev was in talks with the Red Cross to ensure the seamen are treated as prisoners of war. Critics of Mr Poroshenko suggested the president was using the crisis to delay elections he is set to lose. If a military government is installed, campaigning would be suspended.
However, Mr Poroshenko insisted that elections would go ahead on March 31 next year.
Theresa May joined other western leaders in urging restraint and condemning Russia’s ‘destabilising behaviour’.
Her official spokesman said ships must be allowed passage to the Sea of Azov, adding: ‘Russia must not be allowed to use force to exert greater pressure on Ukraine.’
Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Russia’s attack on the Ukrainian vessels was evidence of Moscow’s ‘contempt for international norms’.
Britain currently has around 100 troops in Ukraine training local forces and is set to deploy more in January. HMS Echo, a survey ship, will also be sent to the region next year.
Nato and the UN Security Council held emergency meetings to discuss the situation.
‘Aggressive and volatile’