Russian propagandist Semion Pegov stated that the Ukrainian boats attacked by Russian ships "were dangerously maneuvering in the Kerch Strait". He outlined this version of the reasons for shelling and inadequately harsh detention of the Ukrainian ship crew to life.ru.
"The movement along the Kerch Strait has been paralyzed as a result of dangerous maneuvers of three Ukrainian military vessels: Berdiansk armored artillery boat, Nikopol armored artillery boat and Yany Kapu tugboat", - he wrote.
At the same time, Comrade Pegov did not mention the Russian Don coast guard motor boat which rammed the Yany Kapu tugboat twice.
As follows from the intercept of negotiations of the Russian command with the captain of Don, he was tasked to ram and disable not only the tugboat, but also both Ukrainian boats. However, the captain failed to fulfil the order, since the maneuverable Ukrainian boats skillfully avoided collision.
It is these attempts not to be rammed that the Russian propagandist calls "dangerous maneuvering".
Moreover, he stated without adducing any proof that the Ukrainian sailors threatened Russian border guards with weapons. "In response to calls from border guards to leave (supposedly territorial waters of the Russian Federation – OstroV), they brought existing weapons into combat readiness", - he wrote, having "forgotten" to specify that it was the Russians who inflicted fire damage.
As previously reported, on November 25, Ukrainian Berdiansk and Nikopol small armored artillery boats and Yany Kapu tugboat carried out a planned transfer from the port of Odessa to the port of Mariupol. They were intercepted by four border ships of the Russian Federation near the Kerch Strait, although, according to the Ukrainian Navy, the Russian party was informed about the transfer of the ship crew in advance. In the evening, the ship crew of the Navy of the AFU moved to the exit from the strait. Russian ships began pursuing, then opened fire and seized the Ukrainian ships. According to the Ministry of Defence, six Ukrainian sailors were injured, 23 servicemen were captured.
The Russian party unreasonably claims that the Ukrainian ships carried out the "illegal crossing of state border of the Russian Federation".