Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine on Monday of "provocation and gross violation of international law by Ukraine’s warships, which deliberately disregarded the rules of innocent passage in the territorial sea of the Russian Federation."
A Kremlin statement about German Chancellor Angela Merkel's phone call with Putin also said, "Serious concern was expressed over Kiev’s decision to put its armed forces on combat alert and impose martial law," adding, "The Ukrainian authorities bear full responsibility for creating yet another conflict situation and for the attendant risks. All this has been clearly done in the context of the election campaign in Ukraine." The statement said Putin "expressed the hope that Berlin would use its influence on Kiev to stop it from taking further reckless steps."