DISINFO: Detention of a Russian tanker in Ukraine - Poroshenko's provocation
SUMMARY
The detention by the Security Service of Ukraine of the Russian tanker NEYMA in the Ukrainian port of Izmail is an act of provocation, blackmail and piracy from Ukraine. The raid of the Ukrainian special services in the Black Sea was initiated by the fifth Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, and the detention itself grossly violates international norms.
RESPONSE
This is a new take on a recurrent disinfornation narrative on the Kerch strait incident. The detention of the Russian tanker in the Ukrainian territorial waters is a systematic response from Ukraine to the aggressive policy of the Kremlin in accordance with the laws of the country. The Security Service of Ukraine, together with the military prosecutor's office, detained the ship NEYMA due to the involvement of the tanker in the attack and the armed seizure of the crew of three Ukrainian warships in the Kerch Strait in November 2018. The Russian ship entered the port of Izmail, Odesa region, on July 24 under a new name, NIKA SPIRIT. Ukrainian operatives found that the name of the tanker, along with the IMO-8895528 number, was intentionally changed. In fact, the serial number of the ship corresponds to the original name, NEYMA. Thus, the Russian authorities wanted to conceal the involvement of the tanker in the act of Russian aggression. The crew of the NEYMA tanker was sent home, as it was established that these Russian sailors did not take part in the seizure of three Ukrainian warships in the Kerch Strait. So there were no violations of international norms and Ukrainian laws during the arrest. The Security Service of Ukraine is directly subordinate to the President of Ukraine (Article 1) and is accountable to the Verkhovna Rada of the country (Article 31): for the time being, the orders of the SSU are no longer in the jurisdiction of the fifth head of state, Petro Poroshenko. After the elections and inauguration of Volodymyr Zelenskyy on May 20, Poroshenko has no influence on the state and law enforcement structures of Ukraine.