MOSCOW. Dec 5 (Interfax) - Russian border guards showed professionalism while suppressing illegal actions of the Ukrainian navy sailors in the Kerch Strait and took into consideration, among other things, the possibility of the fulfillment of Ukrainian radicals' threats to blow up the Crimea bridge, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said.
"Of course, amid those statements, which are voiced by Ukrainian radical forces, our border guards had no options but firmly crack down on the violators of the border, because those [statements] were about the threats of terror attacks at the Crimea bridge," Volodin said, replying to a question of a foreign journalist at a joint briefing with Australian National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka on Wednesday.
"Those are undoubtedly the factor, among others, which requires enhanced combat readiness and attention to such situations," the State Duma speaker said.
In accordance with all maritime regulations, the Ukrainian ships should have requested a navigation pilot and entered a dialogue with Russian border guards, he said.
Such actions of the Ukrainian authorities are "a provocation, behind which is Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko," Volodin said.