Ukrainian military ships sail through Kerch Strait amid provocations

Two Ukrainian military ships successfully passed
through the Kerch Strait controlled by Russia on Sept. 23, the mil.in.ua
website reported. The A500 Donbas search-and-rescue boat and the A830 Korets
towboat were sailing from the port of Odesa, around the Crimean peninsula,
through the Kerch Strait, to the port of Berdiansk in the Azov Sea.

The ships’ voyage occurred under difficult conditions
with a series of dangerous incidents provoked by Russian state officials,
according to the press service of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of
Ukraine. Both Ukrainian ships were accompanied by Russian reconnaissance and
border control ships throughout their voyage. More than ten ships of the
Russian Black Sea accompanied them through the Kerch Strait, engaging in
provocative incidents such as sailing at dangerously close distances.
Meanwhile, Russian planes flew at inappropriately low levels over the Ukrainian
ships.

Zenon Zawada: The
situation in the Azov Sea remains tense as Russian forces have orders to
intimidate those ships headed for the Ukrainian coastline, whether military or
commercial. As part of their longtime military practice, the Russians are
looking to provoke an incident that would justify expanding aggression against
Ukraine, whether on the seas or on the frontlines in Donbas.

Earlier this month, Ukraine’s border service announced
it dispatched special forces to Ukraine’s Azov Sea coastline. Ukraine’s Naval
Forces announced they would establish a coastline base. With Ukraine recently
gaining U.S. support in its efforts to defend its Azov Sea coastline, we expect
tensions to gradually intensify.