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A Russian coastguard ship struck a Ukrainian navy tug, damaging its engines and hull, the Ukrainian navy said Sunday.
The incident occurred on Sunday when two Ukrainian navy artillery boats and a tugboat were traveling from Odessa (Black Sea) to Mariupol (Sea of Azov) through the Kerch Strait, a narrow passage between Crimea and Russia.
"Russian coastguard vessels (…) have carried out overtly aggressive actions against Ukrainian navy ships" during transit, a statement from the Ukrainian navy said. A Russian Coast Guard vessel allegedly damaged the engine, hull, railings and lifeboat.
The statement added that Russia had been informed in advance of the planned transit.
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) told Russian news agencies on Sunday that Ukrainian ships are still on their way and are violating Russian territorial waters, which were temporarily closed.
"Their goal is clear," according to a FSB statement, "to create a situation of conflict in the region". The statement did not mention striking a Ukrainian tug.
The Interfax news agency later reported that Russia has since closed down the passage to civilian traffic, citing a local port authority, due to increased security concerns.
Although a 2003 treaty designated the Kerch Strait and the Azov Sea as shared territorial waters, Russia claims increased control over this crossing since 2015.
According to the Ukrainian Navy, "the occupant dispatch service refuses to guarantee the right to freedom of navigation, guaranteed by international agreements".
