DISINFO: Petro Poroshenko lied about his own provocation in the Kerch Strait and the US supported this lie
SUMMARY
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has lied about the Kerch Strait provocation. And the West has supported this lie. Poroshenko has lied about the incident in the Kerch Strait: the Russians had nothing to do with it, it is his, Poroshenko’s provocation. And every time he lies, the United States and its allies support this lie.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation on Ukraine and the Azov Sea. No evidence given that the confrontation was a planned provocation by former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko. No evidence that the US supported his "lie". On 25 November 2018, 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 are 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.