Russia Blocks Two Ukrainian Ports: Buildup To War?

After Biden Decides Not to Move Two US Navy Ships Into Black Sea, Russia Blocks Two Ukrainian Ports – Biden Next Kicks 10 Russians Out of the US and Putin Says “A Price Will Be Paid”

Joe Hoft 

This morning we reported on how Joe Biden backed down in his exchange with Russia.  Rather than bring two US Navy warships into the Black Sea, he decided not to after Putin told Biden to stay away from Ukraine earlier this week:

Biden Sheepishly Backs Down After Putin Threats – Decides Against Moving US Navy Ships Into the Black Sea 

Ukraine threatens Russia but it appears Russia is not deterred.  Russia has amassed nearly 80,000 soldiers on the border with Ukraine.  Meanwhile, Biden sheepishly decides not to move navy ships into the Black Sea after Russia warned him over the weekend not to do so. What is going on in Ukraine?  The Russians apparently have … Continue reading Biden Sheepishly Backs Down After Putin Threats – Decides Against Moving US Navy Ships Into the Black Sea

Today there was more in this escalating story.  As soon as Biden canceled plans to enter the Black Sea, Russia set up blockades on two of Ukraine’s ports:

Within hours of the decision to cancel the Black Sea deployment, Russia moved to block access to the Kerch Strait, which serves as a key access point to the Ukrainian ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk.

Interfax reported the closure, and a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, “Such actions of the Russian Federation are yet another attempt, in violation of the norms and principles of international law, to usurp the sovereign rights of Ukraine as a coastal state, since it is Ukraine that has the right to regulate shipping in these waters of the Black Sea. Also, this step is a gross violation of the right to freedom of navigation, guaranteed by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. According to the Convention, the Russian Federation should not impede or interfere with transit passage through the international strait to ports in the Sea of ​​Azov.”

The Russian closure of the Kerch state will block Ukrainian and other foreign warships from accessing the waterway, and the closure will remain in effect until October.

Biden announced new sanctions with Russia and Putin responded vowing retaliation saying, “A price will be paid.”:

Russia vowed to retaliate for a wave of new sanctions President Joe Biden announced against the country on Thursday, saying “Washington must realize that a price will be paid for bilateral relations’ degradation.”

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it summoned U.S. Ambassador to Russian John Sullivan shortly after the Thursday sanctions announcement. The Russian Foreign Ministry said, “The Ambassador was told that a series of retaliatory measures would follow shortly.”

Russia criticized the Biden administration’s sanctions, saying they are “contrary to the declared intention to ‘build pragmatic relations with Russia.’”

Kerch Strait to be CLOSED Starting Next Week

Hal Turner

Russia is closing the strategic Kerch Strait in the Black Sea for warships and state ships of foreign countries from next week until October 2021, closing off the Ukrainian ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk to traffic.

In the breakaway oblasts (states) of Luhansk and Donetsk, government buildings began putting sandbags around the buildings at lower level windows to protect from shrapnel and some bullets when the fighting begins.

This deployment of sand bags triggered an IMMEDIATE reaction from the general public which is now EVACUATING en-masse, as fast as they can leave!

Donetsk Regional Trauma Center received an order to free 60% of the beds and put, in order, the bomb shelters ... by April 21

Military tensions between Russia and NATO in Ukraine are spiraling out of control.

BREAKING NEWS: BIDEN NOTIFIES CONGRESS; DECLARES NATIONAL EMERGENCY IN USA OVER RUSSIA THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY

The United States Congress has just been informed by the President of the United States that he's "declaring a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy" of the United States, posed by specified harmful foreign activities of Russia."

 RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS U.S. WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR ITS DAMAGE TO BILATERAL TIES

"Hostile steps undertaken by the United States dangerously increase the degree of confrontation."

UPDATE --

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,
I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, find that specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation — in particular, efforts to undermine the conduct of free and fair democratic elections and democratic institutions in the United States and its allies and partners; to engage in and facilitate malicious cyber-enabled activities against the United States and its allies and partners; to foster and use transnational corruption to influence foreign governments; to pursue extraterritorial activities targeting dissidents or journalists; to undermine security in countries and regions important to United States national security; and to violate well-established principles of international law, including respect for the territorial integrity of states — constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.