Kyiv: Russian warships block Ukrainian maritime economic zone in the Black Sea
The Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense for European Integration, Anatoliy Petrenko, stated Russian warships are blocking the maritime economic zones of Ukraine, reports the press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
He noted that the control of the Kerch Strait passage remains the prerogative of Russia which violates international law regarding free civil shipping.
“The Russian Federation is especially active in the western part of the Black Sea, namely around the illegally seized our oil and gas fields on the underwater shelf which are constantly guarded by the forces and means of the Black Sea Fleet. And, what is concerning, is that our exclusive economic zone is also constantly under the control of the warships of the Russian Federation, “said Petrenko.
He stressed that the increasing presence of foreign ships in Ukrainian ports and in the Black Sea is significant for the military-maritime activity of Ukraine.