UN Security Council to convene after Russia seizes Ukrainian navy ships near Crimea

[left-of-center2012]

Source: DW news

The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday after Russia seized three Ukrainian navy ships off the coast of Crimea, the US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley wrote on Twitter.

Earlier in the day, Russia blocked access to the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea, accusing the same three Ukrainian vessels of entering its territorial waters without permission.

The two Ukrainian navy artillery boats and a tugboat were transiting from Odessa on the Black Sea to Mariupol in the Sea of Azov via the Kerch Strait, a narrow passage between Crimea and the Russian mainland.

The Ukrainian navy said a Russian coast guard vessel responded to their presence by ramming the tugboat, resulting in damage to the ship's engines and hull.

Read more: https://www.dw.com/en/un-security-council-to-convene-after-russia-seizes-ukrainian-navy-ships-near-crimea/a-46444700

---

Link to tweet

[left-of-center2012]

1. trump ...

Donald Trump has not responded to the incident,
but the US president posted on Twitter as reports of the incident emerged
that the EU had failed to live up to its commitment to Nato
and Europe should “pay their fair share for military protection”.

Link to tweet

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/25/russia-border-guards-ram-tugboat-ukraine-navy-crimea

[RDANGELO]

3. More bizarre behavior.

Instead of standing behind a fellow Nato country, he says something divisive. This is deja vue of Helsinki.

[Igel]

25. Which fellow NATO country?

You can't be speaking of Ukraine. Romania? Bulgaria?

[RDANGELO]

29. I was mistaken about Ukraine being a Nato Country,

but Nato is being supportive of Ukraine while Trump is attacking Nato.

[left-of-center2012]

4. Trump's blackmailing EU as Russia becomes more aggressive.

[LudwigPastorius]

5. Given where Trump's allegiances lie,...

I guess we should just be thankful right about now that he hasn’t called in an air strike on Kiev.

[dalton99a]

6. +1

[NBachers]

10. "Nice little Alliance you got here. Be a shame if anything . . . happened to it. Pay up if ya know

what's good for ya."

[IronLionZion]

20. Dude thinks of himself as a mob boss

shaking them down for protection money

[lsewpershad]

2. Maybe now

Trumpy will call out Putin

[SunSeeker]

7. I'm not holding my breath. nt

[JI7]

12. look at the first reply to this thread.

[SunSeeker]

8. And Russia is blocking Ukrainian ship traffic through the Kerch Strait.

Last edited Mon Nov 26, 2018, 04:02 PM - Edit history (2)

Ukraine and Russia have a treating allowing both countries access through the Kerch Strait.
Russia is blatantly breaking that treaty.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46340283


A blockade is clearly an act of war.

[TomVilmer]

16. Plenty of ports are left outside the Kerch Straight...

... though some very important ones are inside. Ukraine has the most powerful port potential among all countries of the Black Sea. The most significant of the sea trade ports of Ukraine are Odessa, Illichivsk and South ports located not far from each other.
Ukraine also has three sea trading ports in the lower reaches of the Danube - Reniysky, Izmailsky and Ust-Danube. The now lost ports on the shores of the Crimean peninsula was intended primarily to serve the transport needs of the Crimea.
On the northern coast of the Azov Sea are the Berdyansk and Mariupol sea trading ports, which are characterized by proximity to the most industrialized regions of Ukraine - the Donbass and the Dnieper. Export of metal and other products of these regions provides the main loading ports.
http://www.sifservice.com/index.php/informatsiya/porty-ukrainy/morskie-porty

[SunSeeker]

23. The BBC says the Kerch Strait is the only access to the Sea of Azov.

Russia scrambled fighter jets and helicopters as the Ukrainian vessels approached a bridge over the Kerch Strait - the only access to the Sea of Azov.

The bridge itself was blocked by a tankerIn the evening, Ukraine said its vessels had been fired on and seized by the Russians. Six Ukrainian crew members were injured
...
Kiev called Russia's actions a flagrant violation of international law, because the Black Sea is free for shipping, and Crimea belongs to Ukraine.

Ukraine also cited a 2003 Russia-Ukraine treaty on unimpeded access to the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46340283

[Igel]

26. It's like blockading the US Pacific Coast.

And then saying, "Well, we have plenty of ports left."

It also doesn't account for how the Ukr RR network is structured or how Ukr industry is located.

[TomVilmer]

28. Sorry to confuse you with facts...

Last edited Mon Nov 26, 2018, 10:51 PM - Edit history (1)

Since I quoted that "export of metal and other products of these regions provides the main loading ports", I might already be aware of what you are telling. My point is not to react at the current headlines, but try do dig a bit deeper. Those countries are both failed states with shady politicians in front - there are very little reason to select sides that fast. Russia's warning shots is also Putin's stupid way of showing strength. And for the leaders of Ukraine this might be a scheme to create confusion before the next election.

What Russia are doing now is illegal, if we take Ukraine's word for it. The Crimea occupation is basically "frozen", but now Russia is adding to the bad situation in a way which could have global consequences. We have an international court system to take care of such behavior. That could be a way to prevent an unnecessary escalation of this very small conflict. That is, if the involved parties can accept to ask the court for a solution, and then live by it...
https://www.nytimes.com/1986/06/28/world/excerpts-from-rulings-by-the-world-court.html

And BTW, the title you quote was an answer to a now deleted post stating all of Ukraine's harbors now was blocked.

[SunSeeker]

31. The Pacific Coast analogy is quite apt.

The BBC says the Kerch Strait is the only access to the Sea of Azov. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46340283

And why do you keep injecting assertions that the Ukraine is equally as bad an actor as Russia? Enough with that false equivalence bullshit. It is Russia who has annexed a big chunk of Ukraine (Crimea), and has soldiers in eastern Ukraine. Putin is a monster. Please stop minimizing who he is and what he is doing.

[TomVilmer]

32. "false equivalence bullshit" contra plain BS

Yes, Russia is a bastard. Yes, Russia has annexed a big chunk of Ukraine (Crimea). Yes, there are soldiers from Russia in eastern Ukraine. But all this misery does in no way make the corrupt Ukrainian government the obvious hero. The president is a Trump-style billionaire who suppress the press and are using the conflict with Russia more to his own advantage, than for his country. Please take some time to read some more info, since geography is not your only problem.

"Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s late-night phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin are said to be quite frequent and quite relaxed for two presidents who have been unofficially at war in eastern Ukraine for the past four years. Few attribute noble motives to President Poroshenko. Even officials only a step or two down from the president often seem loath to explain or justify his more controversial behavior, such as his unwillingness to replace corrupt military officers or ministers."
https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2018/04/19/ukraine-revolution-that-wasnt/

[SunSeeker]

33. You don't deny that the Kerch Strait is the only access to the Sea of Azov.

Instead, you resort to personal insults and create a strawman argument, claiming I think Poroshenko is a "hero." Nope, I never said Poroshenko is a hero, nor that Ukraine is free from corruption. But you want to argue those nonfacts since you can't argue with the fact that the Kerch Strait is the only access to the Sea of Azov, and Putin's blockade of the strait is in direct breach of the treaty between Ukraine and Russia.

Russia is not a bastard, Putin is. Russia is as much a victim of Putin as anyone else, if not more so.

Amazing how much you are insistent on downplaying Putin's crimes.

[TomVilmer]

34. Come on man, find a real enemy somewhere else!

You are not feeding any news, just pushing more BS. I tried to help you by showing you a map of the area, since you falsely claimed ALL of Ukraine was blocked. And then you attacked me.

Now you attack me again, claiming I am not aware of Russia's breach of the treaty. Only reason you know about this, is that I wrote about it already. Please find somebody else to play these silly games with.

But I totally agree with you, that the people of Russia is as much a victim of Putin as anyone else. Though he is democratically voted into power - like Ukraine and USA also has elected their own problematic leaders.

[SunSeeker]

35. Putin is not "democratically elected." He eliminated his opponents.

And you have the nerve of accusing me of "pushing BS."

[Ghost Dog]

21. This is false information.

Please examine a map, eg. at the link you posted.

[SunSeeker]

22. Russia is blockading Ukrainian ship traffic through the Kerch Strait.

I corrected my post to make clear that is where the blockade is.

[TomVilmer]

24. This COULD be seen as an act of war...

... but the matter is not clear. The Sea of Azov is not international waters, but split between Ukraine and Russia by a treaty. So it would be more precise to claim it as a possible breach of this treaty. By the treaty both countries has the right to sail also military vehicles into the Sea of Azov.

But since the strait is quite narrow, they need permissions on when to pass it. The controversy is now if Ukraine really did did ask for permission. Both governments are known for telling wild stories - like the fake killing of journalist Arkady Babchenko.

So better wait a bit before guessing who is the biggest liar this time!

[SunSeeker]

30. It is very fucking clear that Russia is using a huge tanker to block the strait.

Last edited Tue Nov 27, 2018, 02:23 AM - Edit history (1)

Look at the pictures of the bridge:

The Kerch bridge is seen blocked for ships entrance, near Kerch, Crimea, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018. A Russian coast guard vessel rammed a Ukrainian navy tugboat near Crimea, damaging the ship’s engines and hull, the Ukrainian navy said Sunday. (Associated Press/)https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/ukrainian-navy-tugboat-rammed-by-russian-ship/2018/11/25/9d1b1300-f09f-11e8-99c2-cfca6fcf610c_story.html

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46340283

And Putin is the biggest liar in Eastern Europe, and biggest murderer, without question. There is simply no equivalence. Putin is a monster.

[SummerSnow]

9. Reporter: Mr. President, will you place sanctions

on Russia after these attacks on the Ukraine vessels?

Trump: There is no need for sanctions, I spoke to President Putin on the phone and I asked him if Russia was responsible for this, and he said no. And I believe him. The problems between Russia and Ukraine is the fault of Obama and crooked Hilary. I'm trying to fix it, no one can fix it but me.

[trusty elf]

11. .....

[duforsure]

13. trump will claim the video is doctored

And again claim putin strongly denied doing this , again. trump is so weak from being so compromised , he has no choice.

[left-of-center2012]

14. I wish we had a real President

Putin wouldn't do this sh*t if America had one.

[lark]

15. Vlsd moved up the timing because he's worried about drumpfs continued occupancy of the WH?

He had to do this while drumpf was still in office to protect him from world action? Sounds to me like it could be a big part of the reason to act now.

[bluestarone]

17. You can bet CHINA is watching this VERY CLOSE!!!!

LOTS at stake here!!!!! And i feel THEY will make their move if this is decided wrongly!!!

[left-of-center2012]

18. Taiwan?

[bluestarone]

19. I'm thinking that island they claim as their's

In neutral waters?

[Igel]

27. Taiwan, to be sure.

But also Senkaku, Paracels and Spratlys.