Putin: Ukrainian president orchestrated standoff to get reelected

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays the blame for a standoff with Ukrainian vessels in the Black Sea on the Ukrainian president and his desire to get reelected.

It is the first time that Putin has commented on the incident near Russia-occupied Crimea on Sunday that raised the specter of a full-blown conflict between the two neighbors.

Putin says in a televised speech that the incident was entirely provoked by the Ukrainian vessels, which refused to communicate with Russian border guards. Putin lays the blame on Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, saying that he ordered the navy to provoke the standoff with the sole purpose of scoring political points and getting reelected next year.

Putin also says the Ukrainian vessels violated the territorial waters off southern Russia — which is the internationally recognized border. This appears to run counter to the claims of the Ukrainian government, which says the ships were approaching from another direction and were firmly in international waters.

— AP