Ukraine's parliament has backed a presidential plan to impose martial law in part of the country after Russia captured three of its naval vessels and 23 crew members on Sunday.

President Petro Poroshenko said the 30-day order would affect border regions vulnerable to potential Russian attack.

Authorities can ban protests and strikes, and citizens could be called up for military duty.

Russia's President Putin expressed "serious concern" at the decision.
Russian coastguard ships opened fire on Sunday as three Ukrainian boats sailed off the coast of Crimea, annexed by Russian in 2014. Several Ukrainian sailors were wounded in what Ukraine described as an "act of aggression" by Russia.

Moscow said the ships had illegally entered its waters. Russian TV broadcast statements from some of the captured Ukrainian navy men on Tuesday. One commander was quoted as saying he realised his actions "were provocative" and Russian TV claimed the Ukrainian operation had been carried out by the SBU security service.

The naval clash is the first time Russia and Ukraine have come into open conflict in recent years, although Russian-backed separatists and Russian "volunteers" have been fighting Ukrainian forces in eastern Ukraine since 2014.

A number of Western countries condemned Russia's actions and President Poroshenko warned the threat of a Russian land invasion was "extremely serious".

In New York, the United Nations Security Council met to discuss the crisis - but failed to agree a Russian-proposed agenda amid sharp disagreements between Moscow and the West.

Source: BBC

BDST: 1510 HRS, NOV 27, 2018
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