Russian military fired 1200 rounds when capturing Ukrainian ships in Kerch Strait Monday, January 7, 2019 11:00:17 AM

Russian attorney Ilya Novikov told Echo of Moscow in an interview that, during their aggression against the Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait, the Russians fired nearly 1200 rounds from a large-caliber gun.

Novikov says he received the information from his client, the Ukrainian sailor captured by Russia, Roman Mokryak.

“Russia is trying to present the situation as ‘We saw that they were violating the border, and we had to stop it.’ The Russians don’t deny that they understand who was before them – naval military ships, flying the relevant flags, with military sailors on board wearing uniforms and carrying weapons,” he said.

According to the attorney, the Russian border patrol vessel Izumrud opened fire.

The Ukrainian ships split up, and the Ukrainian vessel Berdyansk was subsequently followed by the Russian vessel.

The occupiers hit the Ukrainian ship at least four times, according to the sailors’ count, although it is possible that an expert analysis will show that there were more hits.

Novikov claims that two of the hits were dangerous, with fragments of the boat’s armor wounding the sailors.

Earlier it was reported that all of the Ukrainian sailors captured by Russian border guards outside the Kerch Strait had declared themselves prisoners of war. The Russian attorney Nikolay Polozov explains that this shows that the occupiers were unable to “divide and disorient the imprisoned sailors”.

On November 25 outside the Kerch Strait, Russian border patrol vessels attacked and captured two Ukrainian artillery boats and a tugboat. Russia has accused the 24 Ukrainian sailors of violating its border.

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