International Maritime Organization condemns Russia for opening fire at Ukrainian An-26 aircraft in February
19 delegations of the member-countries of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) condemned the actions of the Russian Federation in connection with the firing at the An-26 aircraft of the Ukrainian Naval Forces over the Black Sea in February this year, as stated in a message on the website of the Embassy of Ukraine in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
On June 15, the Ukrainian delegation addressed a meeting of the Maritime Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization with a statement regarding threats to the safety of navigation when ships enter the closed Ukrainian seaports in the Autonomous Republic of the Crimea and Sevastopol, which were created through the illegal actions of the Russian Federation.
"Strong protest was expressed in connection with the latest armed provocation by the Russian Federation: the February 1, 2017 shelling of the An-26 transport aircraft of the Ukrainian Naval Forces near the Odessa gas field in the exclusive [maritime] economic zone of Ukraine," the diplomats noted. .
"Based on the results of the discussion, 19 delegations from the IMO member-countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, the USA and France, supported the position of the Ukrainian delegation and condemned the annexation of the Crimea," the Ukrainian diplomats said.
It is noted that the attempts of the Russian delegation during the meeting to accuse the IMO of consideration of issues outside the scope of the organization, due to Ukraine, have not received support from foreign delegations.
On February 1, Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak reported to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that an An-26 transport aircraft of the Ukrainian Navy came under small arms fire during a training flight in the exclusive [maritime] economic zone of Ukraine in the Odessa gas field.
A Representative of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation, in turn, rejected the accusations by the Ukrainian side.