Here goes my best effort to cover today's events with cmuh thanks to Hal Turner who is covering this very well.
Poroshenko declares a “state of war” after provocation at Kerch Strait
15 November, 2018
1:46 PM EST --
*** BULLETIN ***
Russia
has opened fire upon Ukraine Vessels
Flash
Traffic is hitting Intel Circuits right now that a significant naval
battle is shaping-up between Ukraine and Russia at the Kerch Straight
Bridge between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
Reporting
is sketchy right now, but here is what we know:
Both
Ukraine and Russia border the Sea of Azov, which is basically a
gigantic bay (see map above) off the Black Sea between the two
countries. Ukraine needs access to the Sea of Azov to reach its
eastern sea ports. Russia also needs access to the Sea of Azov
to reach some of its western sea ports and to reach Crimea.
The
Kerch Straight is a narrow opening in the landmass which separates
the Black Sea from the Sea of Azov.
After
Russia absorbed Crimea, the Russians built an enormous bridge across
the Kerch Straight, to facilitate import/export of goods, services
and utilities (Gas, Oil, & Electric) between Russia and Crimea.
Here's
what we THINK we know:
A
Russian Coast Guard vessel allegedly RAMMED a Ukrainian vessel at
or near the Kerch Straight Bridge.
In
response, Russia positioned a large freighter/tanker across the
opening beneath the Kerch Straight Bridge to block all transit
between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. Here is a photo of
the bridge as of minutes ago:
The
Ukrainians sent naval warships. The Russians sent naval
warships, attack helicopters and war planes.
Ukraine
is calling the closure of the Kerch Straight a "Blockade"
and saying it is "an act of war." Ukraine is sending
additional warships, "at full speed" to the area.
Russia is now also sending additional military assets to the area.
Whatever
is going to happen, is likely to happen within hours. We could
see a full scale naval battle between Ukraine and Russia today.
Additional
updates to appear below as information develops.
UPDATE 11:45 AM EST --
5
Russian Su-30 and 2 Su-25 fighter jets, low flight over Mariupol
UPDATE 11:50 AM EST --
Spokesman
of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, Oleg Chalik, has just confirmed that
the three Ukrainian Naval Force vessels are still waiting to cross at
the Kerch strait. They're still blocked from entering the Sea of
Azov. Their orders remain ---Reach Mariupol---.
UPDATE 12:00 NOON EST --
*** BULLETIN ***
Ukrainian
Navy moves to combat alert in response to today's Russian "attacks"
on shipping and closure of Kerch Straits. By closing access to the
Azov Sea, Russia is imposing a de facto blockade of Ukraine's
southeastern ports, which is defined in international law as an act
of war.
UKRAINE
AND RUSSIAN VESSELS UNDERTAKE NAVIGATIONAL "SKIRMISH"
Russian
War planes in the air over Kerch Straight
VIDEO
Russian
KA-52 attack helicopters now on-station at Kerch Straight Bridge:
Additional info
Ukraine
has accused Russia of ramming one of its boats off the coast of the
annexed Crimea, amid rising tensions.
The
"openly aggressive actions" occurred as three of its
vessels sailed from the Black Sea port of Odessa to Mariupol in the
Sea of Azov, Kiev said.
Ukraine's
Yana Kapu tug suffered damage to its engine, guard rail and outer
shell, the Ukrainian navy said.
But
Russia said the ships were in its waters, and accused the Ukrainians
of "provocative actions."
Russia
has now blocked access to the Sea of Azov with a tanker under the
bridge that spans the Kerch Strait.
Tensions
have risen in the seas off the Crimean peninsula - annexed by Russia
in 2014 - in recent months.
UPDATE 12:21 PM EST --
Ukrainian
ships start to move from Kerch strait, but Russians threaten to use
weapons if ships won't stop.
UPDATE 12:34 PM EST --
border
checkpoints between Ukraine and Russia have been closed. It is
unknown if this is related to the Azov incident currently unfolding,
however that is not outside the realm of possibility. Not a
good sign.
UPDATE 1:46 PM EST --
*** BULLETIN ***
Russia
has opened fire upon Ukraine Vessels
1:
54 PM EST -- UKRAINIAN Gyurza-M class artillery boat U175 Berdyansk
is damaged, lost engine, one wounded. Ukrainian Navy responding with
deadly fire to protect itself.
1:56
PM EST -- Ukranian forces aboard the disabled Ukrainian naval
vessel are firing back heavily at Russian forces, boat is now a
sitting duck
1:59 PM
EST -- Full on battle between Ukrainian ship and Russian navy.
2:00
PM EST -- Spokesman of the Ukrainian Navy, Oleg Chalik, said
that Ukrainian ships are currently firing back at Russian Navy
Forces.
UPDATE 2:34 PM EST --
RUSSIAN
SPECIAL FORCES HAVE NOW CAPTURED 3 UKRAINIAN NAVAL VESSELS
Reports
on social media that Ukrainian naval vessels are leaving their base
in Odessa now WITH ORDERS TO ATTACK AND DESTROY ANY RUSSIAN NAVAL
VESSEL THEY ENCOUNTER.
Blue:
Odessa
Red:
Kerch Strait
Social
media outlets Twitter and Facebook are now PULLING any and all
postings about this conflict. They have apparently been told
the public is NOT TO KNOW a full scale war is breaking out in Europe.
UPDATE 3:13 PM EST --
Russia
used special forces from helicopters backed up with helicopter
gunships for covering fire to capture Ukrainian naval vessels.
Russia
has started blocking land borders with Ukraine. No "civilians."
UPDATE 3:15 PM --
JAMMING
OF MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS IN EUROPE HAS BEGUN.
MASSIVE and I mean MASSIVE Jamming of EVERYTHING from USB 8990 to
9010....Nothing coming through...Been a Long time since I have seen
this!
PRESIDENT
TRUMP RETURNING TO WHITE HOUSE EARLY . . . DEPARTS MAR-A-LAGO AT 4:00
PM EST.
U.S.
PENTAGON CALLING-IN ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE FOR URGENT MEETINGS.
NOT SOMETHING YOU SEE ON A SUNDAY UNLESS THINGS ARE HUGELY BAD. . .
Ukraine
have asked for urgent military support and calling for UN
intervention.
Ukrainian
President is calling an emergency session of his war cabinet in
response to the Kerch Strait
UKRAINE
ARTILLERY BOATS BERDYANSK AND NIKOPOL HIT BY ENEMY FIRE, SEIZED BY
RUSSIAN SPECIAL FORCES -- UKRAINIAN NAVY STATEMENT
3:23
PM EST -- Ukrainians are briefing that they are now launching
counter fire at OTHER Russian vessels.
3:27
pm est -- The Ukrainian Navy says one of its small armored artillery
ships has been hit after Russia opened fire in
the Black Se
Ukrainian
air force and land forces on full combat alert. Possible reserve
call-ups.
CONFIRMED: all
Ukrainian naval vessels have departed bases and put out to sea.
3:35
PM EST -- All military and security services in Ukraine have been
mobilized tonight.
UPDATE 4:03 PM EST --
Shipping
has come to a halt between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
The image below is a screen shot of online ship RADAR TRANSPONDERS
showing their location. Traffic jams at both sides of the Kerch
Strait. Nothing is moving.
Ukraine
Leader Poroshenko meeting with military cabinet still ongoing,
it's one hour now.
UPDATE 4:14 PM EST --
RUSSIA WARNS THE WORLD:
Ukrainian
naval ships ignored calls to stop, violated Russian state border-
"Any
attack on Russia from Ukraine or it/s allies will result in a
dangerous situation...Russia warns Western allies to not interfere in
crimes committed by Ukraine or there will be consequences."
4:18
PM EST -- Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council
of Ukraine: Ukraine
to declare martial law
5:10
PM EST -- 4540 kHz active Ukrainian military communications. Units
testing reception with each other FOR DEPLOYMENT
Turchynov:
we are convening Ukrainian NSDC to
declare "state of war"
5:15
PM EST -- Word from contact in Ukraine:
"This is the most dangerous moment I've seen in Ukraine in years.
Tonight, a war that many people in America can only imagine thanks to Hollywood movies, teeters on the razor thin edge of becoming real.
Tonight in Ukraine we go to sleep not knowing what tomorrow will bring."
5:18
PM EST -- Ukraine
Air Command Center fwd-deployed four Su-27Ps of 831st BrTA from
Myrhorod to Kulbakino, Mykolaiv. They, together with MiG-29s of
204th BrTA are now protecting south of Ukraine.
5:26
PM EST -- Ukrainian protesters gather in front of Russia Embassy in
Ukraine capital of Kiev, throwing fire bombs at Russian Embassy;
photo below:
5:33
PM EST -- More
than 20 Ukrainian Navy sailors have been taken prisoner by Russian
forces after 3 Ukrainian naval vessels captured.
UPDATE 5:36 PM EST --
Emergency
Action Message(s) (EAM's) being transmitted to US military forces
worldwide via Global High Frequency Radio System on 8992 KHz (USB).
"Doomsday"
Planes "Nightwatch" and "Looking Glass" both
airborne over Continental United States as of NOW.
UPDATE 5:48 PM EST --
Ukrainian
President #Poroshenko supports the decision to impose Martial Law in
Ukraine. Has called for an emergency Rada (Their Parliament/Congress)
session today to vote on the imposition of MartialLaw and State
of War in Ukraine.
Martial
law proposed for 60 days, and only for areas of Ukraine near the
sea. Ukrainian Deputies are now ordered to get to the Rada. It
is 00:50 in Ukraine. The Session will be in closed mode and the vote
will be immediate.
Ukraine to declare martial law after sea clash with Russia
RT,
25
November, 2018
Ukrainian
President Petro Poroshenko has said that he will propose declaring
martial law in the wake of the altercation in the Black Sea that saw
Russian military seize Ukrainian vessels for breaching Russian
territorial waters.
The
Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) has
supported declaring martial law for 60 days. The motion will now go
before the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, for final
approval.
The
Ukrainian leader says Kiev does not plan to carry out any offensive
operations if martial law is imposed.
DETAILS
TO FOLLOW
UPDATE
7:58 PM EST --
Ukraine
Rada (Parliament) approves 60 days of Martial Law for the country.
INTEL
--
The
US and UK promised to defend Ukraine if they gave up their nuclear
weapons. Obama turned his back, and the UK backed down when the
Crimea issue arose. Now that there is likely a Declaration of War,
Ukraine is likely to INSIST on the US/UK making good on their written
promise. This could go bad for everyone very fast.
Porochenko
is four months away from an election that every assessment already
says he will LOSE, and lose badly. So it is interesting that the
first thing out of Ukraine tonight is a Declaration of Martial Law.
Here's why:
Did
you see those final items? Presidential and Rada Elections are
prohibited. The Constitution is prohibited. Protests (Mass
gatherings) are prohibited. Very convenient for Porochenko.
UPDATE
8:05 PM EST -
US
Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has called an emergency security
council meeting for tomorrow at 11:00 AM.
Russia
ALSO requested an urgent meeting of UN Security Council members at 11
a.m. on Monday (16.00 GMT) to discuss the situation in the Sea of
Azov, Russia's First Deputy Envoy to UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said.
"In
connection with the dangerous development of the situation in the Sea
of Azov and the events that followed them, Russia requested an urgent
convocation of an open meeting of the Security Council on the morning
of November 26 under the agenda item 'Maintenance of international
peace and security,'" Polyanskiy said. The meeting is
tentatively scheduled for 11 a.m. (19.00 Moscow time, 16.00 GMT), he
added.
Russia
brings 3 seized Ukraine Navy ships and 23 captured sailors to its
port in Kerch.
UPDATE
8:12 PM EST --
VIA
THE RUSSIAN EMBASSY TO THE USA:
"Russia
is warning everyone that the responsibility for possible further
aggravation of the situation in the Azov Sea-Kerch water area, lies
with Ukraine and the states that support its provocative actions."
"There
is irrefutable evidence proving that Kiev was preparing and staged a
provocation involving the Ukrainian Navy in the Black Sea. All three
vessels of the Ukrainian Navy, which violated the Russian state
border, have been detained in the Black Sea."
HISTORICAL
NOTE
People
have forgotten that right after that coup in the Ukraine that toppled
their government and replaced it with a western (USA) friendly
government, the Crimea region VOTED to break away from Ukraine and
join Russia.
Russia
did NOT "steal" Crimea, which has been reported in the
western media for the last 3 years.
By
the way, when the Ukraine government was toppled, many sources at
that time dug up info that pointed fingers at our CIA
(surprise-surprise) for doing this. The purpose was that the USA
wanted the vast mineral and gas reserves in, and just off, the coast
of the Ukraine.
The
first Ukraine government was allied with Russia and the US just could
not have that!
ESCALATION
In
eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian Armed Forces opened a massive
artillery barrage on villages and towns controlled by the Donetsk
People’s Republic (DPR) at 21:48 local time. That "Republic"
is a breakaway region of Ukraine, seeking autonomy from Kiev which
they view as a west-installed, puppet government.
The
suburbs of the DPR capital of Donetsk is also under fire.
This
could indicate that the Ukraine President Poroshenko regime is
intentionally fueling military tensions in the region in order to
start a new conflict.
He
will get his wish.
HISTORICAL
NOTE --
Russia
stopped delivering gas to Ukraine because Ukraine never paid their
bills. Now, in order to heat the country, the Ukrainians are paying
with $ to buy gas from the EU. Very costly!
Ukraine
want new sanctions against Russia and the cancellation of the
TurkStream gas project which will see a gas pipeline run from Turkey
to Europe to supply natural gas in-place of Russia. If Turkstream is
completed, no European gas will transit thru Ukraine, meaning no
revenue to Ukraine from the existing Russia pipelines . . . and no
gas from anyone because Ukraine won't have any money.
Timoshenko
will win the upcoming elections. Poroshenko will lose!
If
there is a war - no elections! Got it now?!
With elections due in March, and with his own party far behind in most opinion polls, @poroshenko now uses #AzovSea clash to propose #Ukraine martial law, giving his military the power to control media, stifle protest, and potentially cancel 2019 elections
Cars
belonging to Russian Federation Diplomats are being set on fire in
Kiev, Ukraine tonight. Video below:
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