You're reading: Ukrainian boat resists Russian vessels trying to capture it

Russian vessels have allegedly tried and failed to capture a Ukrainian rescue boat in the Black Sea some 48 kilometers south of Skadovsk, Kherson Oblast, where the Ukrainians were on practice drills.

The incident happened around 10 a.m. on April 24, but only became widely known and discussed after Ukraine’s Ministry of Infrastructure had published the video account of a radio conversation between the Ukrainian rescue boat and Russian vessels on their official Facebook page on May 5.

The video shows the Ukrainian rescue boat carrying out its drills, when two Russian ships by the names Pechora and Amur notice the boat and send off a Russian boat Velbot 769 to seize the Ukrainians on the basis of them “crossing the Russian border” and attempting to “take photographs.”

“Avast and stay adrift,” Russia’s Velbot 769 crew commanded to the Ukrainians, while speedily approaching the Ukrainian boat.

The captain commander of Ukraine’s maritime search and rescue services Ihor Voitenko, who was aboard of the boat, had then asked the Russians for the reason why they’re being stopped.

“You’re in the maritime territory of Russian Federation. Avast and stay adrift,” the Russian boat repeated.

Voitenko is then heard nonchalantly explaining to Russia that they are in fact in Ukrainian waters and are on their way to Skadovsk, which led to some more repetitive exchanges before Russia finally gave in and discontinued the chase.

After the incident became public, the Ukrainian rescue boat crew became widely praised for their resistance and bravery, while Ukraine’s Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan even said they would be getting rewarded for their actions.

“Our crew showed confident behavior. Despite callings from world organizations, Russian militaries continue to break Ukrainian maritime borders as well as land borders in eastern Ukraine, but the clanking of their weapons does not scare us,” Omelyan said.

Voitenko has shied away from the praises and told the Kyiv Post that they were merely doing their job.

“The soldiers on the frontline are the ones who need praising. We were just doing our job, what are you talking about?” Voitenko said.

The captain also confirmed the sequence of events and said the boat was carrying out their ongoing drills and did not cross the Russian borders.

“Firstly, we were located in the territory of Ukrainian waters and secondly, the territory that we were in is a part of Ukraine’s maritime search and rescue zone, according to international conventions.”

Russia’s Border Service of the Federal Security regional department reacted to the incident by publishing a statement, which claims the Ukrainian boat “crossed their borders” and “executed photo and video-shooting of Russian ships.” They also said that the captain of the Ukrainian boat had then “willingly followed the declared route and departed in the indicated direction.”

Voitenko denies taking photographs of Russian ships deliberately, but the ships may have gotten into their photographs by accident, he says.