MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia’s foreign ministry accused Ukraine on Monday of deliberating provoking an incident in the Kerch Strait near the peninsula of Crimea on Sunday in order to create a pretext for new sanctions to be imposed on Moscow.

Russia on Sunday seized two small Ukrainian armored artillery vessels and a tug boat, which Moscow said had illegally entered Russia’s territorial waters.

The foreign ministry said in a statement that it would respond harshly to any attempts to undermine its sovereign and security.