US Advisers Guide Ukraine On Reforms Of Country's Naval System - Ukrainian Official

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published December 12, 2018 | 07:27 AM

NEW YORK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th December, 2018) A permanent counselor from the United States advises the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on the reorganization of Ukrainian maritime system, Ukraine Border Guard Service Head of the International Technical Assistance Vadym Ivko said on Tuesday.

"So, they brought us the permanent adviser from the United States Coast Guard who gives us knowledge, his expertise, and issues on the reformation of our maritime system," Ivko said at the Nuclear Security in the Black Sea seminar at George Washington University.

Ivko did not specify whether the US adviser started his mission before or after the Kerch Strait incident.

"Right now we are hosting experts from customs and border protection providing us assistance, first of all, expertise on how to increase our capacity in protecting the border with Russia. I mentioned that now we are taking more seriously the issue of providing maritime security at sea," Ivko continued.

According to Ivko, the US Customs and Border Protection officers also advise Ukraine on how to strengthen security on the Russian-Ukrainian border.

On November 25, three ships of the Ukrainian Navy � Berdyansk, Nikopol, and Yany Kapu � breached the Russian border, entered Russian territorial waters that were temporarily closed, and began moving toward the Kerch Strait, which serves as the entrance into the Sea of Azov. The Ukrainian vessels and their crew were detained by Russia after failing to respond to a lawful demand to stop.

In response to the incident, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree declaring martial law in several Ukrainian regions located near the Russian border, and the coasts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the incident was a provocation prepared in advance as a pretext to introduce martial law. Putin said the provocation could be linked to Poroshenko's low approval ratings ahead of the presidential campaign set to start in late December.