Kiev-Ordered Kerch Strait Law of the Sea Breach
by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)
Incidents like Ukraine’s Sunday provocation in the Black Sea’s narrow Kerch Strait, separating Russia’s Crimean Republic from its mainland, don’t happen by accident.
They’re well planned in advance, this one perhaps orchestrated by Trump regime hardliners - maybe together with their UK counterparts.
They and their accomplices are militantly hostile to Russia for its sovereign independence, superior military might, opposition to US-led wars of aggression, and support for multi-world polarity - an agenda sharply conflicting with longstanding US imperial aims.
US-installed Kiev Putschists ordered the regime’s military to violate Law of the Sea provisions in the Black Sea’s Kerch Strait last Sunday. More below on this.
Sunday’s false flag wrongfully blamed Russia for Kiev’s provocative action. The incident and others like it are what launching wars are all about - a US tradition since at least the mid-19th century.
War followed a US staged 1845 incident against Mexico, half the country annexed when over - including what became California, Utah, Nevada, as well as parts of New Mexico, Arizona, Wyoming and Colorado. The Rio Grande became the Texas-Mexico border.
The Spanish-American war followed the state-sponsored false flag USS Maine explosion in Havana Harbor. The US acquired and colonized more territory illegally.
The 1915 Lusitania sinking and phony UK allegations about Germany seeking to ally with Mexico to regain lost territory led to US involvement in WW I.
Franklin Roosevelt manipulated Japan to attack Pearl Harbor. The incident convinced a pacifist Congress and public to go along with the war he wanted.
US orchestrated South Korean cross-border aggressive incursions got Pyongyang to respond in self-defense. Harry Truman got the war he wanted.
Lyndon Johnson got the war he wanted with North Vietnam after the Gulf of Tonkin false flag incident.
The GHW Bush regime colluded with Kuwait’s cross-border drilling, stealing Iraqi oil, entrapping Saddam Hussein to respond aggressively after diplomatic efforts failed to stop repeated provocations.
The Gulf War, genocidal sanctions, and Bush/Cheney’s war followed, destroying the cradle of civilization, Iraq today a virtual US colony.
The 9/11 mother of all false flags launched multiple wars of aggression ongoing endlessly - more likely planned against targeted nations ruling authorities in Washington may attack for why virtually all US wars are waged - regime change to install pro-Western puppet rule.
Most Americans are none the wiser or indifferent about the highest of high crimes committed in their name with their tax dollars - while vital homeland needs go begging.
If confrontation with Russia, China, or Iran erupts, unthinkable nuclear war could follow, a potential doomsday scenario if launched.
The Russian/Ukrainian land and sea border, along with endless US aggression in Syria, are the world’s most dangerous hot spots.
If US hardliners push things too far in either theater, WW III could follow. Idlib province Syria is the last remaining US-supported stronghold in the country.
Its liberating campaign remains to be launched by Syrian forces and Russian airpower. It’s coming because Moscow’s diplomatic efforts failed to get US-supported terrorists controlling the province to accept a demilitarized zone along with surrendering their heavy weapons.
Trump regime hardliners promised toughness if Syrian and Russian forces initiate action to liberate the province, a campaign similar to earlier ones in Aleppo and elsewhere in the country if launched.
When initiated, will the campaign lead to direct US/Russia military confrontation? What’s unthinkable is possible.
Something as serious could come in the wake of Ukraine’s Sunday Black Sea/Kerch Strait provocation. Will (Trump regime orchestrated and supported) Kiev cross-border belligerence follow, risking direct US/Russia confrontation?
The neocon Atlantic Council (AC) think tank was established in 1961 to bolster support for NATO. It’s named after the North Atlantic Council, the alliance’s highest governing body.
Washington directs its activities, the way it’s been since NATO’s 1949 creation, providing around 75% of its budget, using the alliance as an imperial tool.
AC’s board of directors and so-called “experts” include a rogue’s gallery of hawkish extremists, serving the interests of America’s military, industrial, security, media complex.
AC senior fellow Anders Aslund falsely accused the Kremlin of Ukraine’s Sunday provocation against Russia. Comparing it to Hitler’s 1939 invasion of Poland, he urged the Pentagon to send warships to the Azov Sea.
It borders Russia in the east, Ukraine in the west/northwest. Foreign warships deployed to its waters would be an illegal provocative, potentially belligerent action.
Russia would likely challenge any foreign warships or other vessels encroaching on its Azov Sea or any other waters - as it did against Ukraine’s provocation.
Perhaps next time something more serious could happen - US and Russian warships challenging each other. A belligerent incident could follow.
A practical problem exists, likely negating an Azov Sea confrontation. Its waters are too shallow for US destroyers and other major warships.
If the US confronts Russia belligerently over the Sunday incident, possible but unlikely, it’ll be elsewhere, not in the Azov Sea.
It’s more likely to come through more Trump regime or congressional initiated sanctions, along with tough rhetoric.
A Final Comment
There’s no ambiguity about who initiated the Sunday Kerch Strait incident, a hostile illegal action. Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) interrogated detained Kiev commanders and seamen.
One serviceman questioned, 3rd Rank Captain Vladimir Lesovoy said the following:
“Radio requests (from Russian border guards) were deliberately ignored. There were firearms and machine guns with munitions onboard. I was aware that these were provocative actions.”
Ukrainian Security Service 7th main military intelligence directorate’s Andri Drach was on board one of the detained vessels.
Explaining he was ordered to sail from Odessa to Mariupol through the Kerch Strait, he said “(w)e entered Russia’s territorial waters where the Russian coastal guards warned us that we were violating Russia’s laws. They told us to leave the Russian territorial waters.”
Seaman Sergei Tsybizov was also questioned, confirming what others on board said about the incident.
Saying Russian orders were disobeyed, he explained Ukrainian vessels “continued to move. We were contacted by Russian ships which warned us they would open fire if we did not stop, The commander stopped the boat, and we were detained. That’s all.”
Russia’s FSB explained that “Ukrainian warships entered Russia’s territorial waters at a direct order from the Kiev authorities,” adding:
“The warships trespassed into the Russian territorial waters that had enjoyed this status even before Crimea’s reunification with Russia. The provocation was coordinated by two Ukrainian Security Service officers who were aboard the Ukrainian ships.”
Kiev bears full responsibility for what happened - perhaps following orders from Trump and/or Theresa May regime hardliners - staging what happened for whatever they intend against Russia to follow.
It remains to be see what’s coming. A minor incident could become major if the US, UK, and colonized Ukraine push things too far.
VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at [email protected].
My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."
