Contents tagged with crimea

  • Large Russian landing ship Caesar Kunikov breaks down after exercises in the Black Sea

    The large landing ship of the Russian Navy Caesar Kunikov was towed to its base in the annexed Crimea after it experienced problems with the steering control system.

    "On April 18, 2019, when returning to its base after the naval exercises, the large landing ship Caesar Kunikov of the Black Sea Fleet experienced a technical malfunction with the steering device," said in a statement the Information Department of the Black Sea Fleet, as quoted by TASS.

    According to TASS, Caesar Kunikov took part …

  • Aksyonov hopes to increase cargo turnover between Crimea and Syria

    The Kremlin-controlled head of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, reported to the Crimean edition of Kryminform, which has close ties to the authorities that by the end of the year the cargo turnover between the annexed Crimea and Syria could reach 150 thousand tons.

    According to Aksyonov, the first shipment with 2.5 thousand tons of barley has already been sent from the Crimea to Syria.

    “Today we discussed the details for the return load (of the vessel). We have set a goal that by the end of the year …

  • International arbitration rules to recover $50 million from Russia for the expropriation of Ukrnafta assets in Crimea

    The UN arbitration court ordered Russia to pay US 44.4 million dollars to the Ukrainian oil company Ukrnafta for the expropriation of property in Crimea, reported Ukrnafta’s press service in a statement published on the company’s website.

    The focus of the dispute was administrative offices and 16 gas stations that were seized by Russia after the annexation off the Crimea.

    On June 3, 2015, PJSC Ukrnafta referred the dispute to an ad hoc arbitration tribunal using the Arbitration Rules of the …

  • Russia begins laying railway tracks on Crimean Bridge

    The Russian authorities in Crimea have begun laying railway tracks on the bridge that spans the Kerch Strait, the Russian media reports.

    Construction of the railway line on the bridge from from Crimea to Russia began in summer 2018, starting at Krasnodar Krai on the Russian side. Now the builders are moving towards each other from opposite ends. A track layer entered the bridge from the already constructed section of the railway approach, which is being built at the same time as the bridge. …

  • Russia announces end of civil and military cooperation with NATO

    Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Grushko told the Russian media that Kremlin is suspending cooperation with NATO along military and civil lines.

    The Deputy Minister, who had previously worked as the permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the Alliance said, “NATO itself has refused to adopt a positive agenda for its relationship with Russia. It just does not exist. And so far, there is no sign that anyone in NATO knows how to get out from this dead-end.”  

    “NATO has …

  • USS Ross guided-missile destroyer enters the Black Sea, Russia monitors carefully

    The USS Ross (DDG-71), an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer of the US Navy, passed through the Bosporus strait and entered the Black Sea on 15 April, Bosphorus Naval News announced on Twitter.

    This is the first time the ship has been deployed in the Black Sea in 2019.

    The American destroyer was escorted by two Turkish coast guard vessels, TCSG-5 and TCSG-4307, while passing Istanbul.

    “When the US naval vessel entered the Black Sea, it was detected and taken under constant …

  • Defence Minister Poltorak: Ukraine will continue sending its ships through the Kerch Strait

    Ukrainian ships will continue navigation through the Kerch Strait, stated Ukrainian Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak during the 12th Kyiv Security Forum. The Defense Minister stated that abandoning the navigation through the Kerch strait would mean that Ukraine surrenders the Sea of Azov and its territory.

    “We will carry out the navigation through the Kerch Strait, because if we abandon such voyages, it will mean that we abandon the Sea of Azov and our territory,” said Stepan Poltorak. …

  • General involved in Russia's operation to annex Crimea to head Russian forces in Syria

    Russian Colonel General Andrey Serdyukov, who commanded the operation to seize Crimea in 2014, led the Russian military group in Syria, reports the Russian newspaper Kommersan" quoting its sources.

    The Russian Ministry of Defense has not officially commented regarding this information.

    According to Kommersant, Serdyukov was appointed as the commander of the Russian contingent in Syria on April 10, replacing Colonel General Sergei Surovikin, who commanded the military groups in Syria longer …

  • Ukrainian President Poroshenko reveals plan to take back Donbas and Crimea

    In an on-air interview with Novoye Vremya (New Time) radio station, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that, if reelected,  he plans to win back Crimea and the Donbas using the Minsk agreements.

    “Part of fulfilling the Minsk agreements is the formation of its security components. The security component will be broached by introducing the blue helmets issue to the UN Security Council... An absolutely traditional peacekeeping mission that must fulfill several tasks to create a secure …

  • EU, Canada and US accuse Russia of restricting navigation through the Kerch Strait

    The European Union countries, Canada and the United States condemn the inspections of the ships conducted by Russia in the Kerch Strait, as well as navigation restrictions caused by the construction of the Kerch Strait bridge, reported the Embassy of Ukraine in the United Kingdom.

     The statement was made after the International Maritime Organization (IMO) reviewed Ukraine’s complaint about “unauthorized construction and opening by Russia of a bridge across the Kerch Strait as well as the …