Russia seizes three Ukrainian Navy ships in the Kerch Strait
Russia attacked a group of Ukrainian ships which were heading to the port of Mariupol through the Kerch Strait. According to the press service of the Ukrainian Navy, two Ukrainian servicemen were injured as a result of the attack.
"According to the latest reports, small armored artillery boats Berdiansk and Nikopol came under the enemy fire and have stalled. The Yana Kapu tug boat was also forced to stop. The ships were captured by special forces of the Russian Federation. There is also information about two injured Ukrainian sailors, " the Navy Command said in a statement.
The chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Viktor Muzhenko said during the session of the National Security Council, that the fate of the 23 sailors from ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which were seized by Russia, is unknown.
"The fate of the sailors is unknown. We have information about six wounded, two of them heavily. The information is contradictory. The communication with ships and sailors of the Ukrainian Navy after the actions of the Russian Federation was lost and is being blocked. There were 23 people on board the ships, " Muzhenko said.
The information was confirmed by the representative of the Ukrainian President in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Boris Babin on his Facebook page.
"At least six wounded. More than two dozen prisoners of war. Direct act of aggression of the Russian Federation, expect appropriate decisions of the NSDC (National Defense and Security Council Of Ukraine). The aggressor confirmed the seizure of ships and crews. If it is not a moment of truth to take certain decisions, then there is a risk that it will never come, " Babin said.
Earlier, the president of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko proposed to the Verkhovna Rada to consider the introduction of martial law on Monday because of the attack of the Russian Federation on ships of the Ukrainian navy in the Kerch Strait.