Russia Scrambles Warplanes as Ukrainian Navy Moves on Kerch Strait

The sudden intrusion by the Ukrainian ships prompted Russia to deploy it’s naval assets, along with military aircraft and combat helicopters, in order to contain the situation which Russian Federal Security Service described as “provocation.”

Russian military ended up deploying its combat aircraft in response to several Ukrainian warships crossing Russia’s territorial waters and attempting to pass through the Kerch Strait.

According to a Sputnik correspondent, Su-25 attack aircraft are now patrolling the area in the vicinity of the Crimean Bridge which spans the strait; Ka-52 attack helicopters were also spotted tracking the movements of the Ukrainian ships.

Earlier today, a trio of Ukrainian Navy ships crossed into temporarily off-limits Russian territorial waters, moving from the Black Sea to the Kerch Strait, prompting the Russian border guard to deploy its own vessels to stop the intruders.

READ MORE: Three Ukrainian Navy Ships Crossed Russian Waters, Entered Kerch Strait — FSB

The Russian Federal Security Service's border control department has said that it is doing everything it can to curb the “provocation” by the Ukrainian vessels.