 Ukraine, iyo ine zviteshi zviviri zvikuru paGungwa reAzov kwainotengesa simbi uye zvigadzirwa zvekurima, yakataura kuti zambuko iri kushandiswa neRussia sechikamu chekukanganisa kwekukanganisa kwezvikepe zveUkraine muGungwa reAzov, uye kuti kuongororwa kweRussia kwemidziyo kwakawedzera zvakanyanya kubvira zambuko rakavhurwa muna Chivabvu 2018, vamwe vachimanikidzwa kumirira kwemazuva matatu vasati vatenderwa kupfuura. Chikamu chikuru chebhiriji racho chiri pamusoro pegungwa; vakuru vakuru vokuUkraine vanoti ngarava dzakawanda dzakakura zvokusagona kupfuura zvakachengeteka pasi pebhiriji racho. Ngarava inotakura zvinhu yakawanda Copan tonnage yakafa yamatani 17,777 yakagadzirisa chinetso ichi kupfurikidza nokucheka pamusoro pemasita ayo. Musi wa 26 Gumiguru 2018 The Globe and Mail, ichidudza masosi eUkraine, yakashuma kuti zambuko rakaderedza kutakura kweUkraine kubva kumahombekombe ayo eGungwa reAzov neanenge 25. MunaNovember 2018 nzvimbo iri pedyo nebhiriji yakava nzvimbo yechiitiko cheKerch Strait, umo mauto ehondo eRussia akataura kuti ngarava nhatu dzeUkraine dzakapinda mumvura dzeRussia. Mauto eRussia akatora ngarava dzacho ndokusunga vashandi vadzo. Panguva iyi, ngarava huru yaitakura zvinhu yakavharirwa kuti isapfuure muStrait, yakaiswa pasi pebhiriji kuti isapfuure nemimwe ngarava. Mukupindura, Ukraine yakazivisa mutemo wehondo mumamwe matunhu enyika kwamazuva 30. 