Russian Foreign Ministry issues strong protest statement regarding situation in Black Sea

"The Russian Foreign Ministry expresses its strong protest against the serious violation of the rules of peaceful navigation in the territorial waters of the Russian Federation in the Black Sea by Ukrainian naval vessels on November 25, 2018. The Russian side requests the convening of an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the current situation," the ministry's statement said.

Russian Foreign Ministry headquarters. Photo: Sputnik

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called the incident with Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait a provocation aimed at creating a pretext for strengthening sanctions against Russia.

Moscow will resolutely prevent any encroachment on its sovereignty and security, the Russian Foreign Ministry said when commenting on the situation in the Kerch Strait.

Moscow also condemned the attack on the Russian diplomatic mission by radical liberal elements in Ukraine that caused damage to the mission. The Russian Federation demands that those responsible be brought to justice.

Earlier, it was reported that in three Ukrainian cities, protests were taking place in the context of the incident at the Russian border caused by Ukrainian warships. Flares and smoke bombs were thrown at the Russian embassy in Kiev, and in Lvov, near the consulate, tires were burned. In Kharkov, protesters also threw flares at the Russian consulate.

Then, on the evening of November 26, Russia summoned the temporary representative for Ukrainian affairs in Moscow RM Nimchinsky and handed over a note of protest to the gross violation of the rules of peaceful navigation by Ukrainian Navy ships in the territorial waters of the Russian Federation on November 25, 2018 in the Black Sea.