Ukraine says Russia rams navy tugboat off Crimea

KIEV: Ukraine’s navy said that Russia’s border guards rammed one of its tugboats in the Black Sea off Moscow-annexed Crimea on Sunday in “openly aggressive actions.” Ukraine said the incident took place as three of its ships including two small warships were heading for the port of Mariupol in the Sea of Azov, an area of heightened tensions between the countries. Russia accused Kiev of illegally entering its waters and deliberately provoking a conflict. Russia claims the waters off Crimea after annexing the peninsula in 2014. A Russian border guard ship, the Don, “rammed into our tugboat,” the Ukrainian navy said, adding that this damaged its engine, outer shell and guardrail.