Russia-Ukraine crisis: Kiev declares martial law as world powers condemn the seizure of ships by Putin's forces near Crimea
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Martial law was imposed in Ukraine for 30 days as president Petro Poroshenko warned of the “extremely serious” threat of a Russian land invasion.
The parliament voted in favour of the measure on Monday night in response to the capture of three Ukrainian navy vessels and twenty-three crew members by Russian ships near the Kerch Strait.
Russia’s actions were also condemned at emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, where US representative Nikki Haley described the incident as an “outrageous violation of sovereign Ukrainian territory.”
The secretary-general of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, also said there was “no justification” for the seizure of the Ukrainian ships and sailors.
Meanwhile there there violent protests in Kiev and demonstrations outside Russian embassies across the world, including in London, Washington DC and Brussels.
It marked an escalation of tensions that have soared since Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and backed a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine.
Ukraine said its vessels were heading to the Sea of Azov in line with international maritime rules, while Russia charged that they had failed to obtain a permission to pass through the Kerch Strait separating Crimea from the Russian mainlan
It is the only passage between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. It is spanned by a 11.8 mile bridge that Russia completed this year.
While a 2003 treaty designates the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov as shared territorial waters, Russia has sought to assert greater control over the passage since the annexation of Crimea.
The seizure of the Ukrainian ships followed a tense situation in which the three Ukrainian vessels were manoeuvring near the Kerch Strait for hours shadowed by Russian coast guard boats.
Following the capture of the Ukrainian ships on Sunday, Russia closed the Kerch Strait for sea traffic by positioning a tanker under the bridge spanning it. It reopened the route early Monday.
If you want to read how the situation developed, please read our live coverage below.
Please allow the blog a moment to load
Russia's foreign ministry has accused Ukraine of deliberately provoking the incident in the Kerch Strait in order to establish a pretext for a new raft of sanctions to be imposed on Moscow.
The Kremlin has also claimed the seizure of the Ukrainian vessels was in accordance with international and domestic law, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov accusing the vessels of illegally intruding into Russian territorial waters and of ignoring attempts by Russian border guards to contact them.
European Council president Donald Tusk has condemned Russia's actions and urged Moscow to stop provoking Ukraine and return any sailors or vessels it is holding.
He tweeted: "I condemn Russian use of force in Azov Sea", and added that "Russian authorities must return Ukrainian sailors, vessels and refrain from further provocations".
He said he has discussed developments with Mr Poroshenko and will meet the Ukrainian leader's representatives later.
Mr Tusk added: "Europe will stay united in support of Ukraine."
Breaking: Ukraine's president Petro Poroshenko has signed an immediate declaration of martial law, pending parliamentary approval.
The declaration of martial law has been posted on the presidency's official website. It reads:
In accordance with Article 107 of the Constitution of Ukraine, I resolve:
1. To bring into force the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine of November 26, 2018, "Concerning emergency measures to ensure the state's sovereignty and independence of Ukraine and the introduction of a martial law in Ukraine" (enclosed, secretly, without paragraph 12 - non-confidential).
2. The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine shall supervise the implementation of the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, introduced by this Decree.
3. This Decree comes into force on the day it is published.
Right-wing paramilitary group Azov National Corps hold flares during a rally against Russia in front of the Ukrainian parliament.
Children from an orphanage talk with soldiers as they came to help strengthen trenches on Ukraine's Army positions near Mariupol, a port city near the Russian border.
Katya Gorchinskaya, a Ukraine-based journalist, has reported the Ukrainian defence committee has recommended the parliament support's Petro Poroshenko's declaration of martial law.
According to local media reports, there may not currently be enough MPs to push through martial law as many are struggling to get back to Kiev in the bad weather. Here's the tweet for you Ukrainian speakers.
Demorat senator Ben Cardin tells CNN he believes Vladimir Putin feels he can now act with impunity thanks to Donald Trump.
"Trump has not taken direct action against Russia in regards to Ukraine ... I think he believes Mr Trump will not take action against him," he told the cable news channel.
Russia is holding 24 Ukrainian sailors who were detained on board three navy ships in the Kerch Strait on Sunday, Interfax news agency cited Russian human rights commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova as saying on Monday.
She said three of the sailors were wounded in the incident and were recovering in hospital, but that they were not in a critical condition.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments