DISINFO: Poroshenko and the US planned the Kerch strait confrontation
SUMMARY
The President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and the US planned the Kerch strait confrontation. The US probably approved Poroshenko’s plan in order to use the incident against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.
RESPONSE
No evidence given. Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation on Azov Sea. and Nord Stream 2. There is no connection between the Kerch strait clash and Nord Stream 2 pipeline project.
For background:
On November 25 border patrol boats belonging to Russia’s FSB security service seized two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and their crews after shooting at them, wounding several Ukrainian servicemen. Russia argued that they were in Russian waters. However a bilateral treaty between Russia and Ukraine, signed in 2003 and ratified by Russia in 2004, governs the use of the Kerch strait and the Sea of Azov, which in the treaty is considered to be the “internal waters” of both Russia and Ukraine.
The construction of the Kerch Bridge took place without Ukraine's consent and constitutes a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It has led, in parallel with the militarisation of the Azov Sea, to tougher controls on naval traffic in the strait. The European Union stated that it expects Russia to stop the inspections.
For further reporting see the Bellingcat, DFRLab and Polygraph.