Palau-flagged vessel Sukru Okan transits Bosphorus on its way to the Black Sea in Istanbul, Turkey August 13, 2023 this screen grab from a video.
REUTERS/Yoruk Isik/File PhotoKYIV, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Ukraine on Monday condemned what it called "provocative" Russian actions and called for decisive countermeasures by the international community, a day after Moscow said one of its warships had fired warning shots at a cargo vessel in the Black Sea.
Moscow said in a statement on Sunday that its Vasily Bykov patrol ship fired automatic weapons on the Palau-flagged Sukru Okan vessel after the ship's captain failed to respond to a request to halt for an inspection.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the provocative actions carried out by the Russian Federation on August 13 in the Black Sea in relation to the Turkish dry cargo vessel 'Sukru Okan,' which was en route to the port of Izmail," the ministry said in a statement.
Kyiv said the incident was a gross violation of international law and "exemplified Russia's deliberate policy of endangering the freedom of navigation and safety of commercial shipping in the Black Sea".
Persons:
Yoruk, Vasily Bykov, Türkiye, Dan Peleschuk, Philippa Fletcher, Angus MacSwan
Organizations:
REUTERS, of Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation, Thomson
Locations:
Palau, Istanbul, Turkey, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Izmail