RUSSIA’S ATTACK ON UKRAINIAN SHIPS IN THE SEA OF AZOV
All the More Reason for Canada to Immediately Address Russian Meddling in Ukraine’s Upcoming Elections
November 28, 2018. On November 25, 2018, in a deliberate and unprovoked attack, Russian warships attacked and opened fire on Ukrainian navy ships in neutral waters in the Sea of Azov. Russia’s attack can only be seen as a premeditated act of aggression to gain control over the Azov Sea and blockade Ukrainian maritime traffic in and out of the Kerch Strait in order to destabilize Ukraine in the run-up to Ukraine’s 2019 elections.
The time for empty rhetoric of condemnation and grave concern has ended. Concrete action is necessary now.
The international community must respond forcefully to this disgraceful act of aggression by Russia. The League of Ukrainian Canadians calls on Canada, the US, the EU, NATO and all civilized nations to immediately take decisive measures to counter Russian aggression by:
1. Demanding that Russia immediately release all Ukrainian sailors illegally captured and arrested, as well as all Ukrainian prisoners of war and more than 70 Ukrainian political prisoners illegally jailed in Russian custody;
2. Significantly strengthening sanctions, in particular sectoral sanctions, against Russia for this latest brazen act of aggression against Ukraine’s sovereignty, including banning Russia from the SWIFT international payments system and cancelling the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline;
3. Providing Ukraine with Western military technology - naval ships, land-based anti-ship missiles, and radars to boost its maritime domain awareness in order to defend itself against Russia’s naval aggression;
4. Immediately initiating the process of NATO membership for Ukraine.
We emphasize that Russia’s attack can only be seen as a premeditated act of aggression to destabilize Ukraine and distract from Russian meddling in the run-up to Ukraine’s 2019 elections.
Therefore, in addition to immediately taking the above decisive measures to counter Russia’s attack on Ukrainian ships in the Sea of Azov, it is critical that Canada simultaneously check Russia’s hybrid aggression against Ukraine, especially prior to these critically important elections. Canada needs to help in leveling the election playing field, especially in the media. In short, Canada needs to do more. It needs to help stop Russian meddling in Ukraine’s elections now.
We conclude that in response to Russia’s hybrid cyber, information, military, economic and political war against Ukraine, Canada should again demonstrate leadership by immediately initiating with our Euro-Atlantic partners a review of decisive measures to counter Russian aggression against Ukraine, be it Russia’s media manipulation and meddling in Ukraine’s 2019 elections or Russia’s attack on Ukrainian ships.
