Russia-Ukraine crisis: Kiev declares martial law as world powers condemn the seizure of ships by Putin's forces near Crimea
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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.
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Three former Ukrainian presidents have joined forces to oppose the motion to impose martial law in the country in the wake of Russia's seizure of three Ukrainian ships and their crews.
Ukraine's first president from 1991-1994, Leonid Kravchuk, read out a letter signed by him and two other former leaders, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko, objecting to the imposition of martial law.
Earlier, current president Petro Poroshenko signed a bill to impose martial law. The Ukrainian parliament is due to vote on the issue later in the day. The debate has yet to begin as some lawmakers from the opposition are seeking amendments.
In their letter, the former presidents said martial law would pose a "threat to democracy" because it will scrap the presidential vote scheduled for next year.
Petro Poroshenko, addressing the Ukrainian parliament, says martial law will not include any restrictions on citizens' rights and says elections early next year will go ahead on schedule. He proposes imposing military rule for 30 days - it was initially touted to last 60 days.
Ukrainian parliament has always been place of trades. Today ever more so. We now have a break in proceedings allowing the haggles to continue. Reports prez favourite Yulia Tymoshenko's party may now back a reduced 30 day period of martial law, with no restrictions of civic rights
Poroshenko announces he is also prepared to reduce martial law to 30 days. This looks like where we'll end up.
Poroshenko explains decision to reduce the period of martial law so it does not interfere with presidential election campaign, which has to start 90 days before the scheduled vote in March.
Just as interesting is to note that as stood, the proposed 60 day martial law WOULD have interfered with elections. Meaning @Leshchenkos right to have a hunch that Poroshenko may have been planning to use new law to shift elex.
Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has halved his proposal for martial law in the country to 30 days, an apparent concession to opponents.
The reduction means that Ukrainian authorities can call the presidential election at the end of December, giving enough time for it to take place at the end of March as expected.
Mr Poroshenko said in a televised address that he has decided to cut the suggested time frame from 60 days.
His original proposal was criticized by opponents as an attempt by Mr Poroshenko to scrap the elections at a time when his own approval ratings are low.
The proposal comes in the wake of Russia's seizure of Ukrainian navy vessels and their crews near Russian-occupied Crimea.
The Ukrainian parliament is expected to vote on Poroshenko's motion later.
Russia's foreign ministry issued a statement about an hour ago, in which it warns about "the danger of inflating artificial hysteria" in connection with Sunday's incident.
"Clearly, this is a well-thought-out provocation that took place in a predetermined place and form and is aimed at creating another hotbed of tension in that region and a pretext for stepping up sanctions against Russia," the statement reads.
It continues: "We are hereby issuing a warning to Ukraine that Kiev’s policy, pursued in coordination with the United States and the EU, that seeks to provoke a conflict with Russia in the waters of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea is fraught with serious consequences. The Russian Federation will firmly curb any attempts to encroach on its sovereignty and security."
In a related development, Ukraine's biggest state-run bank says an arbitration court in Paris has ruled that Russia must pay £1 billion in damages for property seized in the annexation of Crimea.
The press service of Oshchadbank said the court ruled in the bank's favour on Monday, and the bank will now take "all possible measures" to get the money back from Russia.
That could include seizing Russian assets around the world, the bank said.
The announcement came amid new tensions between the neighbors over Ukrainian naval ships seized by Russia near Crimea.
Bank official Andriy Pyshnoho encouraged other Ukrainian companies to seek international arbitration "to restore justice" over property seized in Crimea.
Russia did not immediately respond to the ruling.
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