Ukraine states that Russian ships need to give 10 days notice for a return to their Sebastopol base.

Given that most of Europe has been aware of ‘something stirring’ in Russia for some time – Bear overflights, Arctic games, Gazprom games – a ‘situation’ was inevitable sooner or later. Russia has no world support in this situation, and needs to be very confident of its plans beyond this point, if not, it will perhaps fold. It must be aware of the visceral hatred it can and has induced in former CCCP states, who have chosen EU/NATO because of this. There was no ‘encroachment’.