The ship of the Ukrainian Navy "Donbass" moving to the Kerch Strait did not pose a threat, as it performed tasks in its territorial waters. The corresponding statement was made on December 9 by the headquarters of the Joint Forces Operation in Donbass.
"Regarding the fake statements of the FSB of the Russian Federation on the Internet. The OOS press service reports that [the Ukrainian ship] did not enter sensitive areas. The ship is performing its tasks in its territorial waters," the headquarters said in a message posted on Facebook.
At the same time, the OOS confirmed the information that had appeared earlier that the Donbass vessel had set a reverse course and was returning to base.
In turn, the head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Alexey Reznikov stressed that there was no threat to the crew of the Ukrainian Navy vessel going to the Kerch Strait, since it was in the Sea of Azov.
"I want to inform everyone that there was no threat to the crew and our ship, it has almost returned to port, no incidents have occurred," Reznikov said on the air of the program "Right to Power" on the 1+1 TV channel.
According to him, the Donbass was carrying out a search and rescue operation and was in the Sea of Azov 18 nautical miles from the Kerch Strait.
Earlier on Thursday, the FSB Central Control Center said that the ship of the Ukrainian Navy withdrew from the raid of the port of Mariupol and moved in the direction of the Kerch Strait. The vessel was in the waters of the Sea of Azov at a distance of 18 nautical miles to the Kerch Strait and did not respond to the demands to change course.
