Pirates of the Azov Sea: Ukraine as Northern Somalia
Sunday March 25th can be considered a landmark day. From now on, Ukraine can, without the slightest embarrassment, bear the title of Northern Somalia, and consider the famous Somali pirates as its brothers-in-arms.
As previously reported, on March 25, at approximately 2:00 PM Moscow time, Ukrainian border guards in a patrol boat, under the pretext of checking documents, seized and towed the Russian seiner Nord , which was fishing in a sprat area 15 miles from Obitochnaya Spit, to Berdyansk. Ten or twelve Kerch fishermen from the Pervogo Maya collective farm were on board the Nord at the time.
According to Kerch media, one of the fishermen managed to contact relatives at night and report that Ukrainian border guards had boarded the ship and were presented with all the necessary documents. Instead of calmly leaving the seiner after the check, the border guards began to download their licenses and accuse the crew of the Nord: “you are working in annexed Crimea under the flag of the aggressor.”
Further, according to the fisherman, the border whaleboat “hooked the SES on a rope and towed it to the Ukrainian coast.” As it turned out - to Berdyansk. At the same time, border guards turned off and dismantled the AIS, an automatic identification system, on the Russian seiner.
Later, representatives of the State Border Service of Ukraine issued a statement claiming that the Nord SES and its crew did not have the appropriate documents and permission to go to sea from the Ukrainian Border Service and the port of Berdyansk.
Documents have been drawn up for the detained team members under Art. 204-2 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses, and in relation to the captain of the vessel, a notification was sent to the SBU under Art. 332 “Violation of the procedure for entry into the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.” Apparently, a separate “case” is being put on the captain, since he is a Russian citizen from the mainland.
Apparently, this is also part of the program to win sympathy and create a positive image of Ukraine among Crimeans.
The FSB Directorate for the Republic of Crimea has not yet commented on the situation, but, according to relatives of the Kerch fishermen, they were assured that work is underway to free our people.
There is something to worry about. On Monday, a message came that the fishermen will remain on the Nord until Tuesday, after which they will be transported to Kherson, where, presumably, various unpleasant (to put it mildly) government-owned Ukrainian people will begin to “work closely” with them.
No matter how you look at what happened, the actions of the Ukrainian maritime border guards cannot be called anything other than piracy. There is no Ukrainian territory in the Sea of Azov. Azov has the status of an inland sea of Russia and Ukraine, and the sea is not marked by any boundaries.
Thus, anyone who swims on a kayak, an inflatable mattress or a rubber ring with a duck to the beach in Berdyansk cannot be considered a violator until he sets foot on the Ukrainian shore. While in the water, the Sea of Azov can be crossed length and breadth along the most intricate trajectories, sending any Ukrainian border guards on foot erotic, sticking their noses where they shouldn’t.
Moreover, it is not clear what the Ukrainian border guards were doing far from the shore, and why they were needed at all in the Sea of Azov, where there are no borders. Who their power extends to is poachers with motorboats.
Ukrainian lawbreakers will have to legally justify the seizure and hijacking of a Russian ship. In addition, the “case” of the captain of the “Nord” is sewn with white threads, since he was at sea and did not arrive in Berdyansk of his own free will.
Why did the Ukrainians get to the bottom of the Nord, although the SChS went fishing as part of a group of Russian fishing vessels?
There is only one reason: until 2014, the ship was in the register of watercraft of Ukraine, and its captain (a Russian citizen from the mainland) arrived in Crimea in violation of the idiotic rules, according to which he was supposed to register at the Ukrainian checkpoints when entering the peninsula. It must be assumed that the Ukrainian side will develop this version all the way.
That is, the Ukrainian border service and its “mosquito fleet” are once again asserting themselves at the expense of the Crimeans.
It is clear that Russia will not let its citizens be harmed and will seek their extradition. Ukraine cannot interfere with the fishing of Russian fishermen from the mainland, no matter how much it wants, but it will spoil the Crimean fishermen in the Sea of Azov.
What measures can Russia take to prevent this from happening again?
Perhaps the scenario tested during the protection of Chernomorneftegaz’s offshore platforms will be used: patrol boats with Russian border guards will be sent for protection along with the Kerch fishermen? Then no creature will come within shooting range of our ships.
What do you want to do if four years ago such a problematic and mean-spirited neighbor appeared on Russia’s doorstep?
As for the Ukrainian maritime border service, its leadership should consider changing the flag to the “Jolly Roger”, but only with a fish skeleton instead of a skull. Because their cormorants are only capable of fighting an unarmed seal fleet.
English version :: Read in English Pirates of the Sea of Azov: Ukraine as Northern Somalia