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Russian warships have fired on Ukrainian Navy boats in the Black Sea.

At least two crew members have been injured in the clash as tensions in the Crimea dramatically escalate - and the Ukrainian Navy claim Russia has captured three ships.

It's understood two of these vessels, called Berdyansk and Nikopol, are massive warships and a third was a tugboat.

Ukraine's President has now called an emergency meeting of the military's war cabinet.

"Russian ships - Sobol-class patrol boats, the 'Don' coastguard ship, Mangust-class patrol boats, and the 'Suzdalets' corvette - carried out openly aggressive acts against ships of the Ukrainian Navy," the Ukrainian Ambassador said.

It comes after a day of rising tensions during which Russia stopped three Ukrainian navy vessels from entering the Sea of Azov via the Kerch Strait by placing a huge cargo ship beneath a Russian-controlled bridge.

Then, at around 7pm UK time, Ukrainian navy accused Russia of opening fire on some of its ships in the Black Sea, striking one vessel and wounding at last two crew members.

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: TASS)

The Ukrainian Ambassador added: "The boats have been damaged and lost ability to move. The 'Yany Kapu' lost ability to move following Russian assault. Two Ukrainian crew members have been wounded. Russian special forces have captured all the three Ukrainian ships.

"All illegal actions have been recorded by the crews of the ships and the command of Ukraine's Navy and reports will be handed over to the respective international agencies. The President of Ukraine is now holding a military cabinet meeting."

Ukraine had earlier claimed Russia had rammed a tugboat.

The Ukrainian navy made the statement on its Facebook page after a day of rising tensions during which Russia stopped three Ukrainian navy vessels from entering the Sea of Azov via the Kerch Strait by placing a huge cargo ship beneath a Russian-controlled bridge.

(Image: Twitter) (Image: Twitter)

Transit under the bridge was therefore blocked by the tanker ship and dozens of cargo ships awaiting passage are still stuck.

The Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov are shared territorial waters.

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have been growing for months.

(Image: Twitter) (Image: Getty Images/Universal Images Gr)

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

It comes after it emerged Vladimir Putin will open the longest and most controversial bridge in Europe to connect Russia with the annexed Crimean peninsula.