Putin defends 'lawful' seizure of Ukrainian ships

President Vladimir Putin insisted Wednesday that Russian forces had the right to seize three Ukrainian ships at the weekend, as Kiev lashed out at Moscow for failing to release its sailors.

In his first extensive remarks since the confrontation at sea on Sunday, Putin said it had been orchestrated by Kiev as a "provocation".

He said the Ukrainian ships had entered Russian territorial waters and refused to respond to requests to stop from Russian patrol boats.

"What were they (Russian forces) supposed to do?" Putin said when asked about the incident at an international investment forum in Moscow.

"They were fulfilling their military duty. They were fulfilling their lawful functions in protecting Russia's borders. They would do the same in your country."
The Kremlin said it expected the meeting to take place and played down the threat, with Putin's foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov saying: "The meeting is equally needed by both sides."