Russia warns Ukraine of
escalation of violence after ships seizure
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| Ukraine-Russia-Military-Coflict.- AFP |
The Russian government has warned that Ukraine’s declaration
of martial law over Russia’s seizure of three Ukrainian ships might trigger a
flare-up in hostilities in eastern Ukraine. The comments came as Kiev blamed
Russia for parading captured Ukrainian seamen on television.
By Stefan J. Bos
Russia's security service has released controversial
statements by three captured Ukrainians after Russian ships fired on also, seized
three Ukrainian boats off the coast of Russian-annexed Crimea.
One of the men, Volodymyr Lisovyi, said he was aware of the
"provocative nature" of the Ukrainian action. Ukraine's navy
commander said the men had been forced to lie under duress.
At the same time, a court in Crimea ordered the first of 24
Ukrainians capture on Sunday to remain in detention for 60 days. Western
nations have condemned Russia's use of force, four years after it seized
Ukraine's southern Crimean peninsula.
The Secretary-General of the NATO military alliance, Jens
Stoltenberg, urges Russia to release the Ukrainian sailors. "There is no
justification for the use of military force against Ukrainian ships and naval
personnel," he said. "So we call on Russia to release immediately the
Ukrainian sailors and ships it seized...And we call for calm and
restraint," he added.
Polish President Andrzej Duda, whose country is a NATO
member, says Poland would support international initiatives to enhance
sanctions on Russia following its seizure of three Ukrainian navy ships.
Baltics concerned
Also, his Estonian counterpart Kersti Kaljulaid said the
Russian attack on Ukrainian military vessels constitutes “war in Europe.”
However, Russia's deputy ambassador to the United Nations
Dmitry Polyanskiy blames Ukraine. “What Kiev has been doing, in coordination
with the U.S. and others, to promote a conflict line against Russia, is fraught
with very dangerous consequences," he said. "We are going to curb any
infringement of Russian sovereignty and territorial integrity including the Sea
of Azov and that area. We do hope that that is clear to everyone.”
In response, Ukraine's parliament has adopted a motion by
the president to impose martial law for 30 days after Sunday’s clash between
the two rivals in the Kerch Strait, which links the Black Sea and the Sea of
Azov.
No mediation?
Despite the turmoil, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
said he doesn't see "a need for any mediators.”
He spoke after Germany’s foreign minister suggested that
Germany, France, Russia, and Ukraine could work together to resolve the
tensions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told the German
chancellor that he is “seriously concerned” about the weekend’s escalation near
Crimea and developments in Ukraine.
Europe's security organization OSCE is closely monitoring
the situation. It said in a statement that Russia and Ukraine must refrain
from what it called “any further provocations” and engage in dialogue to
reduce tensions after the two countries’ standoff near Crimea.
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