Ukraine-Russia sea clash
Russian forces shooting at and seizing a neighboring country’s vessels, Ukrainian sailors being wounded and detained, and yet another political crisis between Moscow and the West.
There’s been no shortage of drama between Russia and Ukrainesince Sunday.
A stack of questions remain about what might happen next, and whether the U.S. and its allies have the means — or even the willingness — to influence this tense situation.
WHAT HAPPENED?
On Sunday, Russian forces shot at and seized three Ukrainian vessels, injuring as many as six crew members. A total of two dozen sailors were detained at a nearby port.
The Ukrainian vessels were attempting to pass through the Kerch Strait, a narrow artery linking the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Russia has effectively controlled the strait ever since it annexed Crimea in 2014.
In response, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko declared 30 days of martial law in border areas over what he called a violation of international law. But Russia blamed the incident on Ukrainian provocation.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo joined other Western leaders in pointing the finger squarely at the Kremlin and alleged Russia aggression. Their boss — often accused of being soft on President Vladimir Putin — appeared reluctant to apportion blame.
“We don’t like what’s happening either way,” President Donald Trump told reporters Monday.
WHERE ARE THE UKRAINIAN SAILORS?
The sailors were taken to the Crimean port of Kerch, where local media released a video purporting to show some of the men speaking on camera. They explain they entered Russian territorial waters and received warnings from Russian border control vessels to leave the area.
One of the men said he was aware their actions were “of a provocative nature.”
The Ukrainian military confirmed on Facebook that the men in the video were its sailors.
However, such videos must be treated with extreme caution because it’s not clear what was said before or after these edited extracts, nor whether the sailors were under duress.
The men appear relaxed, but the head of Ukraine’s security service, Vasyl Hrytsak warned that they were under “psychological and physical pressure” while in detention.
