It seems some Ukrainian veterans are going to organize an impromptu demonstration outside the Russian Embassy in Kyiv.
A quick precis of what's now reportedly going down
It's worth pointing out that Ukraine's navy lost some 50 ships during the Crimea annexation...
Some in-depth analysis (at least by Twitter standards) from David Patrikarakos:
RFE/RL's Brussels correspondent has sent us this reaction to events in and around the Sea of Azov from NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu:
"NATO is closely monitoring developments in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, and we are in contact with the Ukrainian authorities. We call for restraint and deescalation.
NATO fully supports Ukraine’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity, including its navigational rights in its territorial waters. We call on Russia to ensure unhindered access to Ukrainian ports in the Sea of Azov, in accordance with international law.
At the Brussels Summit in July, NATO leaders expressed their support to Ukraine, and made clear that Russia’s ongoing militarization of Crimea, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov poses further threats to Ukraine’s independence and undermines the stability of the broader region."
EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini's spokeswoman Maja Kocijancic has also released a statement on today's dramatic event's off the Crimean coast:
The tensions in the Azov Sea and Kerch Strait have increased dangerously today, after an incident this morning between Russian and Ukrainian naval vessels as the latter were attempting to pass through the Kerch strait as well as subsequent developments, including the closure of the strait for traffic by Russian authorities and reported seizures of Ukrainian vessels and shots being fired at them.
We expect Russia to restore freedom of passage at the Kerch strait and urge all to act with utmost restraint to de-escalate the situation immediately.
As clearly stated by the High Representative at the European Parliament recently, the events in the Sea of Azov are a demonstration of how instability and tensions are bound to rise when the basic rules of international cooperation are disregarded. The construction of the Kerch Bridge took place without Ukraine's consent and constitutes another violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It has led, in parallel with the militarization of the Azov Sea, to tougher controls on naval traffic in the strait. The European Union expects Russia to stop the inspections.
The EU does not and will not recognize the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula by Russia.
Meanwhile, in Kyiv...