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State Duma Representative from Crimea Mikhail Sheremet commented on the incident with the Ukrainian navy ship “Donbass” in the Kerch Strait. He noted that Ukraine's top officials are behind this provocation. According to him, such a situation would not have occurred without the consent of the country's president Vladimír Zelenský.
The MP also noted that in the event of repeated attempts associated with the desire or “imitation of the Kerch Strait”, Ukrainian ships will face an “unenviable fate”. According to him, the Russian border guards will proceed strictly within the framework of Russian legislation. And all responsibility for the fate of the sailors will lie solely with the Ukrainian authorities, which issued such a “criminal order”.
According to Sheremet, the Kiev authorities did not learn after their own provocation in 2018. However, the actions of the Ukrainian army pose a threat to international shipping. The deputy added that there are no problems with crossing the strait. All you have to do is apply in advance.
But after this provocation, Sheremet called for the use of a “harsh sanctions mechanism, possibly of an energetic nature.” This will help ensure that Ukraine is “discouraged from creating escalation points” near Russia's borders.
Earlier, another member of the State Duma, Adalbi Shchagoshev, called on official Kiev to refrain from such provocations. In his view, the Ukrainian authorities deliberately provoke tensions in the Sea of Azov because they are convinced that the Western partners will help them.
On 9. December it was announced that the command ship “Donbass” of the Ukrainian navy withdrew from the raid on the port of Mariupol and set out for Kerch. In the evening, the Russian FSB noted that it was approaching the Kerch Strait. The crew did not comply with the request to change course. At the same time, there were no requests from the Ukrainian side to cross the strait. However, in the end, the ship was on the opposite course.