Mon Nov 26, 2018 - US Spy Plane Enters Black Sea Area Amid Ukraine-Russia Naval Tensions
Farsnews
A Crete-based US spy plane entered the Black Sea area on Monday morning after a standoff between Ukraine and Russia over a strait that separates it from the Sea of Azov, the Ukrainian military portal disclosed.
The Boeing RC-135V reconnaissance plane left the US naval base at Souda Bay on Crete at 05:50 GMT and headed east, the portal said, Sputnik reported.
The electronic intelligence aircraft was reportedly in Bulgarian airspace as of 06:30 GMT and flying toward the Crimean peninsula, a Russian territory in the Black Sea.
This comes after Russia detained three Ukrainian naval vessels on 25 November for entering its territorial waters on their way from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov, a shallow internal sea the two countries share.
Russia’s FSB security agency accused the ships of ignoring warnings to stop and maneuvering dangerously. Ukraine’s national Security Council responded by declaring a 60-day martial law, which still needs parliamentary approval.
November 27, 2018 - Ukraine says Counterintelligence Officer wounded in Sunday's Russia clash
Ukraine says counterintelligence officer wounded in Sunday's Russia clash | Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Vasyl Hrytsak speaks during a news conference about Russian prisoners of war held in Ukraine, in Kiev, Ukraine, August 28, 2015. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
A Ukrainian military counterintelligence officer was seriously wounded after Russian aircraft fired missiles at Ukrainian vessels on Sunday, the head of Ukraine's state security service (SBU) said.
Ukraine and Russia have traded accusations after Russia fired on three Ukrainian ships then seized them. The confrontation prompted Ukraine to introduce martial law in some areas, citing the threat of a Russian land invasion.
“According to the confirmed operational information of the SBU, one of the Russian attack aircraft used two unguided combat missiles against the Ukrainian boats, as a result of which one of the officers of the SBU was seriously wounded,” Vasyl Hrytsak said in a statement on Tuesday.
Russia has said SBU officers were among those captured. Hrytsak confirmed that and said the security officers were there supporting the military.
“The real surprise is the fact that against the two Ukrainian boats and the small tugboat, the Russians used six “FSB” (Russian Federal Security Service) and four naval vessels, as well as combat helicopters and airplanes of the Russian Federation Air Force,” he said.
He added that Ukraine’s security council was taking all necessary measures to secure the release of those captured.
The confrontation has exacerbated tensions already heightened after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and its backing for a pro-Moscow insurgency in eastern Ukraine.
Tue Nov 27, 2018 - Ukrainian Spy Agency Confirms Its Agents on Board Encroaching Kerch Strait Ships
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Head of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) Vasily Gritsak confirmed the information about the presence of two employees of the SBU military counter-intelligence service on board the Ukrainian Navy ships that were detained in the Kerch Strait in connection with the violation of Russia’s state border.
"The officers of the Ukrainian intelligence service were performing combat tasks of the counter-intelligence support department of the Ukrainian Navy, as is stipulated in Article 12 of the Ukrainian law ‘On the Ukrainian Security Service’," the SBU press service quoted Gritsak as saying, TASS reported.
Tue Nov 27, 2018 - Putin Voices ‘Serious Concern’ over Martial Law in Ukraine
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has voiced “serious concern” over Ukraine’s recent move to impose martial law in the country following the seizure of three intruding Ukrainian military vessels in Russian waters.
Putin conveyed his concern in a phone call to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the Kremlin announced in a Tuesday statement, press tv reported.
Putin “expressed a serious concern over Kiev’s decision to put its armed forces on alert and to introduce martial law,” read the statement, which said the Russian president also urged Merkel to restrain Ukrainian authorities from engaging in further provocation and military measures.
The Russian leader further told Merkel that he hoped “Berlin could influence the Ukrainian authorities to dissuade them from further reckless acts.”
Tue Nov 27, 2018 - Diplomat: Russia Regrets That UNSC Rejected Moscow-Proposed Agenda for Session on Ukraine
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Russian Foreign Ministry's official Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
Russia regrets that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has rejected the Russian-proposed agenda for the emergency session over the incident in the Kerch Strait, Russian Foreign Ministry's official Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Rossiya 1 TV channel.
"When this dramatic situation began escalating, Russia sent a request to the UN Security Council chair to hold an emergency UNSC session," Zakharova said, adding that "Ukraine also sent its materials, but it is not a UNSC member and cannot request sessions", TASS reported.
"To our great regret, UNSC members - as our representative said, not without influence of the US and other Western countries - did not find the courage to fulfill Russia's request and hold the session on this agenda, or if we talk using normal language, to consider what happened yesterday in Russia's territorial waters," Zakharova continued, noting that "unfortunately, the request based on the Ukrainian letter was approved. I will stress this once again that we all understand very well how this so-called majority is attained".
New provocations may follow after Ukrainian warships violated Russia's state borders in the Black Sea on November 25, Zakharova stressed, stating that "we are talking about a pre-planned, deliberated and now realized large-scale provocation which includes an informational component, a threat to use force, and then engages diplomatic and international law resources," she said. "I think everybody should be very careful next time. I think there will be a next time, considering what is happening now".
Meanwhile, Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyansky told the UNSC emergency session on Monday that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is not helping resolve the problem around the Kerch Strair incident, as the UNSC has rejected the Russian-proposed agenda for the meeting on Ukraine's violation of the Russian state border in the Sea of Azov.
"You are now more concerned not with how to resolve the problem, but with which agenda to pick for today's session," Polyansky said, adding that "to be honest, this reminds of the confrontation on the playground".
According to the diplomat, the confrontation in the Kerch Strait "has been planned in advance with absolute connivance of Western countries, which already gave de facto permission to their Kiev mentees for any actions".
As we are getting closer to [Ukrainian presidential] election scheduled for March, the bankrupt Maidan team needs a serious escalation, and ideally war," the diplomat said adding that without this, they will not be reelected. "Another dose of 'anti-Russian fever' is needed so that people, who have been becoming poorer over the last five years, believe once again that Russia is to blame for all their misfortunes, not their government and their Western 'puppeteers'," Polyansky stated.
The diplomat advised "not to worry" about Russia's state borders. "Our country has never struck first, but can defend itself.
The population of Crimea is under good protection, just like the populations of other Russian regions," he assured.
Addressing his Western colleagues, Polyansky said that their five-year "anti-Russian political project , which could simply be called 'Anti-Russia', is currently crumbling in front of everybody", adding that "you all know very well the real, not declared rates of 'Maidan reforms' and other dangerous and destructive processes that push Ukraine closer to the edge".
Earlier, Polyansky told the UN Security Council session that Russia considers the violation of its state border by Ukrainian ships as a flagrant provocation.
"This is evidently a flagrant provocation," Polyansky said addressing UN SC member states that supported Ukraine. "However, you consciously condone this provocation, adding that your actions on supporting Ukraine have already led to the escalation of the situation in eastern Ukraine.
"The issue is that Ukrainians, while using the navigation regime in the Kerch Strait without any problems before, staged an obvious provocation, putting the lives of their sailors in danger," he noted, stating that "nobody tried to answer this question, it was not even mentioned once. This can be perceived as permission granted to Ukraine to continue such provocations, to fan tensions, to create a threat for everybody in this region".
"It was mentioned here that Ukraine's sovereignty should be respected. Well, the sovereignty of the Russian Federation should be respected as well," he stressed.
"What concerns the incident itself, the investigation continues, and we will, of course, announce its results," Polyansky concluded.
Also, the Kremlin has defended Russia's seizure of three Ukrainian navy ships off the coast of Crimea, saying the move was lawful and in strict accordance with international and domestic regulations.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday described the actions of the Ukrainian navy as “an invasion of Russian territorial waters”, and accused the Ukrainian vessels of illegally crossing Russia’s sea border and ignoring warnings made by Russian border guards.
"The Russian side acted in strict accordance with the law, both domestic and international. This is a case of trespassing into territorial waters of the Russian Federation by foreign military vessels," Peskov said.
"These foreign military vessels entered Russian territorial waters not answering any queries from our coast guard, ignoring proposals to use piloting services, and so on and so forth," he added.
Peskov also stated that a criminal case has been opened over the violation of Russia's border, without providing further details.
Blaming Kiev for the incident, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Ukraine of a “planned” provocation and of using "dangerous methods" that would put ships in the area at risk.
Tue Nov 27, 2018 - Moscow Warns Kiev of ‘Consequences’ for Attempts to Provoke Conflict After Kerch Strait Standoff
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Moscow protested Kiev’s “planned” breach of Russian waters in the Kerch Strait and cautioned Ukraine’s foreign backers against blowing the incident out of proportion. Russia will “strongly” respond to similar “provocations”.
Three Ukrainian military boats on Sunday tried to pass through the Kerch Strait apparently without prior warning, but were ordered to stop by Russian border guards. A confrontation ensued, ending with the three ships being seized by the Russian side, RT reported.
The actions of the Ukrainian Navy “violated the rules of passage through Russian territorial waters,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday, adding that Moscow has summoned an emergency UN Security Council meeting to discuss the incident.
“Russia has repeatedly warned the Kiev regime and its Western supporters that fanning up the hysteria over the Azov Sea and the Kerch Strait was dangerous. It’s obvious that there was a provocation, carefully planned in terms of location and form, which is aimed at flaring up yet another point of conflict in the region and creating a new pretext to impose more sanctions against Russia,” it noted.
Kiev has used the clash to justify declaring martial law – something Moscow says only benefits Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ahead of the March elections. Poroshenko has been struggling to campaign for re-election, with his popularity decimated by harsh economic problems and recent corruption scandals.
Moscow also added that it’s outraged by vandalism attacks targeting Russian diplomatic missions in Ukraine following the Kerch standoff. Further incidents of a similar nature may have “serious consequences,” it said, pledging to “strongly counter” any attempt to violate Russian sovereignty.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has meanwhile described the actions of the Ukrainian Navy as “an invasion of Russian territorial waters”.
Tue Nov 27, 2018 - Ukrainian President Signs Decree to Impose Martial Law, Russia Says It Poses Risks of Conflict Escalation in Donbass
Farsnews
Ukraine’s decision to impose martial law poses a risk of escalating conflict in certain areas of the country, namely in the Southeast, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.
"This is Ukraine’s domestic affair, but amid the elections, certainly, such a step as imposing martial law has a special undisguised undertone. Potentially, the imposition of martial law in some regions may pose a risk of escalating tensions in the conflict-hit region, namely the southeast," Peskov said, TASS reported.
When asked if this issue is expected to be discussed at the upcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump, Peskov stated that
"this is not a topic for the G20 summit, but at the same time if any issues are raised at bilateral meetings with the president on the sidelines of the summit, no one should doubt that the president will give exhaustive clarifications".
On Monday, speaking at the parliament, Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko named the regions, where a 30-day martial law will be imposed from November 28. These are Vinnitsa, Lugansk, Nikolayevsk, Odessa, Sumy, Kharkov, Chernigov, Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson, as well as Ukraine’s territorial waters in the Sea of Azov.
"I would like to read out my decision - I will suggest the parliament impose martial law for a term of 30 days. Why? In order to see to it that martial law does not overlap with the election campaign," he said in an address to the nation on Monday.
According to Poroshenko, the next presidential elections are to be held on March 31, 2019, as originally planned.
Tues. November 27, 2018 - Crimean Court Detains Ukrainian Sailor captured by Russia for Two Months: TASS
Crimean court detains Ukrainian sailor captured by Russia for two months: TASS | Reuters
A member of Russia's FSB security service escorts a detained Ukrainian navy sailor (R) before a court hearing in Simferopol, Crimea November 27, 2018. REUTERS/Pavel Rebrov
A court in Russian-annexed Crimea ordered the first of 24 Ukrainian navy sailors captured by Russia to be detained for two months, the TASS news agency reported on Tuesday.
The sailors were detained on Sunday when Russia seized three Ukrainian vessels off the Crimean coast.
Russia accuses the sailors of illegally entering its territorial waters.
11.27.2018 - Court arrests first of Ukrainian sailors detained off Crimea coast
Court arrests first of Ukrainian sailors detained off Crimea coast
© Alexei Pavlishak/TASS
Vladimir Varimez from Ukraine’s Odessa Region was arrested until January 25
A court in Simferopol, which is deciding on Tuesday on a pre-trial measure for the Ukrainian sailors who violated Russia’s state border in the Kerch Strait has arrested the first of the detainees for two months, a TASS correspondent reported from the courtroom.
Vladimir Varimez from Ukraine’s Odessa Region born in 1992 was arrested until January 25. He is charged under Part 3 of Section 322 of Russia’s Criminal Code ("Illegal border crossing by a group of individuals by prior collusion or by an organized group, or with the use of violence or with the threat of its use"). He pleaded not guilty.
11.27.2018 - Court to decide on measure of restraint for Ukrainian sailors within two days
Court to decide on measure of restraint for Ukrainian sailors within two days
The Simferopol City Court will determine a measure of restraint for the 24 Ukrainian sailors, who had violated the Russian border while passing through the Kerch Strait, within two days, Crimean Human Rights Ombudsperson Lyudmila Lubina told reporters on Tuesday.
"An investigator has told me that a measure of restraint for the Ukrainian sailors will be determined today or tomorrow," she said.
11.27,2018 - Ukrainian sailors in custody for breaching Russian border to get free legal aid
Ukrainian sailors in custody for breaching Russian border to get free legal aid
The crew of the ships detained on Sunday in the Kerch Strait area for violating the Russian state border will receive free legal assistance, Commissioner for Human Rights in Crimea Lyudmila Lubina told TASS on Tuesday.
"They are foreigners, and providing them with attorneys is mandatory. They must receive (legal) defense," Lubina said, answering the question on whether sailors can get free legal services. She specified that this is the task of the investigators to find lawyers.
Lubina added that she is staying in Simferopol, because on Tuesday the sailors are due in court and measures of restraint will be selected for them. "I think I will have a chance to talk to them today. Maybe they’ll want to file a complaint or give something to be handed over to their relatives," she explained.
The human rights commissioner explained, "Their lives and health are not in danger," according to the information she possesses, the injured had flesh wounds. Furthermore, she went on to specify that "there are three boys, three privates with the youngest born in 1999," and she stressed that the "captains and the mid-ranking officers were not injured." Besides, she presumes that the sailors that were brought to the hospital may turn out to be active-duty soldiers.
November 27, 2018 - European Politicians call for New Sanctions on Russia over Ukraine
European politicians call for new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine | Reuters
Senior politicians from Germany, Austria, Poland and Estonia on Tuesday raised the possibility of new EU sanctions against Russia to punish it for capturing three Ukrainian vessels at sea, an incident the West fears could ignite wider conflict.
Financial markets have responded to the prospect of new Western sanctions that could hurt Russia’s economy, though the rouble on Tuesday clawed back some losses from the previous day as investors bet any sanctions would not be swift.
After Russia opened fire on and seized three Ukrainian naval vessels on Sunday near Russian-annexed Crimea, both Russia and Ukraine are trying to cast the other side as being in the wrong.
President Vladimir Putin told German Chancellor Angela Merkel by phone on Monday that Moscow was ready to provide more details to bolster Russia’s version of events. Moscow says Ukraine deliberately provoked Russia to trigger a crisis.
Ukraine, which on Monday night introduced martial law for 30 days in parts of the country it deems most vulnerable to an attack from Russia, said its ships did nothing wrong and that it wanted the West to impose new sanctions on Moscow.
Some of the more than 20 Ukrainian sailors held by Russia for straying into Russian waters appeared on Russian state TV on Tuesday admitting to being part of a pre-planned provocation. Kiev denounced what it described as forced confessions.
The Ukrainian sailors are expected to appear in a Russian court later on Tuesday. Their vessels were captured by Russian forces at sea near the Kerch Strait, which is the only outlet to the Sea of Azov and controls access to major Ukrainian ports.
A Reuters reporter at the Crimean port of Kerch where the vessels are being held saw masked armed men on board one of the ships
Germany, potentially the leading voice in any call for Western action called upon both sides to de-escalate the new tension, while signalling a tougher line towards Russia.
Norbert Roettgen, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union and a leading Merkel ally said Europe may need to toughen sanctions against Moscow.
Karin Kneissl, foreign minister of Austria, said the EU would consider sanctions depending “on the exposition of facts and the further conduct of both parties”.
Polish President Andrzej Duda said his country was ready to back new sanctions. Estonian Defence Minister Juri Luik called sanctions “probably the most potent way to signal to the Russian leadership that we are serious”.
Merkel, an important voice in any future EU decision to impose more sanctions, on Monday spoke by phone to both Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Putin. She said the situation needed to be de-escalated.
‘CONFESSIONS’
In Kerch, two Russian police officers with automatic rifles stood on the pier where the Ukrainian vessels were moored. The vessels bore traces of collisions and big holes in their hulls.
A doctor at the local hospital said three Ukrainian servicemen were being treated there. An unidentified man prevented Reuters from entering or talking to them.
Commercial shipping traffic was passing through the strait under a new bridge built by Russia that spans it.
Russia’s FSB security service released video footage on Tuesday of captured Ukrainian sailors saying their actions were deliberately provocative and they had ignored Russian orders to stop. At least one appeared to be reading from a script. Ukrainian politicians said the sailors were coerced, rendering their confessions meaningless.
The FSB said it had information showing the sailors’ mission had been pre-planned by the Ukrainian government and that two intelligence officers from Ukraine’s SBU security service had been on board to coordinate the provocation.
Vasyl Hrytsak, the head of the SBU, confirmed that his officers were on board to support the military and said one of them had been seriously wounded after Russian aircraft fired missiles at the Ukrainian vessels.
