Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a six-month blockade of the Kerch Strait, which connects to the Black Sea. Russian warships are pictured moored in the port of Sevanbul in May 2014.
Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have worsened in recent weeks as fighting between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists in the east has intensified, with Russia amassing troops on Ukraine’s northern and eastern borders and the Crimean Peninsula, and the latest focus falling on the Black Sea. After the news that two U.S. destroyers may sail to the Black Sea, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a six-month blockade of the Kech Strait connecting the Black Sea, a move immediately condemned by Ukraine and the European Union, which accused the Russian side of violating international conventions on the 15th.
“From 9 p.m. on April 24 to 9 p.m. on October 31, foreign military and other official vessels must suspend crossing the territorial waters of the Russian Federation,” the Russian news agency quoted a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry as saying. The restrictions cover the western tip of the Crimean peninsula, the southern coastline of the peninsula from Sevan Fort to Gurzuf, and the rectangle of sea off the Kerch peninsula.
The Kerch Strait is the only shipping lane connecting the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, and is the waterway that cuts Russia and the Crimean Peninsula.
According to the report, the decision does not affect the shipping in the strait. A few days ago, the Russian Navy revealed that it will conduct a series of military exercises in the Black Sea, and the commander of the Southern Military District also confirmed that ships of the Caspian Fleet are heading to the Black Sea. Another media cited sources pointed out that the U.S. Department of Defense had earlier abandoned its plan to send two destroyers into the Black Sea to avoid escalation of the situation between Russia and Ukraine.
A senior EU official said the Russian move was a “very worrying situation”. The official said that this practice is contrary to the norms of freedom of movement at sea and international law, and also makes the tensions created by Russia’s military build-up on the Ukrainian border even greater.
In addition, Ukrainian authorities have stepped up diplomatic efforts to win Western support. President Dzerensky visited France today, where he met with French President Macron and held a trilateral video conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss tensions in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine. Zelensky said the meeting was a preparation for a future meeting of the “Normandy model,” a quadrilateral meeting of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany, which has not been held since December 2019. Zelensky expressed hope that the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine will be restored next week.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman criticized that France, Germany and other Western countries should stop their political propaganda actions against Russia, stressing that the build-up of troops on the border is “Russia’s activity on its own territory and does not threaten anyone”.
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