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February 10, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has voiced a strong protest against Russia’s steps on blocking part of the Black and Azov Seas and the Kerch Strait under the pretext of conducting naval exercises. The corresponding message was published by the MFA press office.
“The military drills have covered an unprecedented big area, disabling navigation in both seas. This is a significant and unjustified complication of international shipping, especially trade shipping, which can cause complex economic and social consequences, especially for Ukrainian ports,” reads the message.
Official Kyiv has also underlined that Russia’s hybrid war demonstrates “open disregard for the norms and principles of international law, including the UN Charter, UN General Assembly resolutions, and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
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Ukraine will work together with other countries of the Black Sea region to ensure that such actions of the Russian side receive a proper assessment and response.
According to the media reports, on February 9, Russia transferred six large landing ships of the Northern and Baltic Fleets to the Black Sea. Russian Defense Ministry assured the ships would take part in joint exercises. Even in 2014, during the operation to annex Crimea to the Black Sea, there were a maximum of four additional landing ships.
In December, the Ukrainian Navy said that about 70% of the Azov Sea was blocked due to Russian military exercises.
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In April 2021, during another aggravation of Russian-Ukrainian relations, when Russia was also drawing troops to Ukraine’s borders, landing ships limited themselves to landing in the annexed Crimea. It lasted until October 2021.
In June 2021, when the British destroyer Defender exercised its right to peacefully pass through Ukrainian territorial waters around Crimea near Sevastopol, Russian ships and planes accompanied the ship but did not dare to attack it. NATO has said that such peaceful passages are going to continue.
