Contents tagged with Sea of Azov
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US Representative for Ukraine Volker calls for additional pressure on Russia
In light of the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the US calls on Europeans to make sure that the existing sanctions are being implemented. A statement to this effect was made by US Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker in an interview with Deutsche Welle.
“Europe must take a careful look at the implementation of the sanctions already in force. At present there are severe European sanctions in force against Crimea. But how strictly are they actually being applied?” …
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Kyiv: Russia has blocked Ukraine’s ports in the Sea of Azov
As of November 28, the Ukrainian ports at Mariupol and Berdyansk in the Sea of Azov have effectively been blocked by Russia, with ships unable to arrive or depart.
This was reported by Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan on Facebook.
“According to operational information, 18 ships are waiting to enter the Sea of Azov: four heading for the Berdyansk port and 14 for the Mariupol port. There is also a queue waiting to leave the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea: three ships are …
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US Representative for Ukraine Volker: Russia wants to control access to Mariupol
The developments in the Sea of Azov this past weekend show that Russia intends to take sole control over access to Ukrainian ports, said Kurt Volker, the US State Department’s Special Representative for Ukraine, as reported by Ukrinform.
“I think that this is a matter of access to Mariupol for Ukrainians. Russia is claiming the unilateral right to control this access, that’s the problem. This definitely doesn’t mean that Russia is going to undertake a new offensive on land,” the American …
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Ukraine institutes martial law
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has introduced martial law in several regions of Ukraine. 276 of Ukrainian lawmakers supported the bill prepared by the Ukrainian President.
Martial law is introduced for 30 days from November 28 to December 27.
The special status is introduced in 10 regions of Ukraine, which border the Russian Federation: Vinnytsia region, Luhansk region, Mykolaiv region, Odessa region, Sumy region, Kharkov region, Chernihiv region, Kherson region and of the internal waters of …
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Ukraine asks Budapest Memorandum signatories and EU for protection against Russia
During an emergency session of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has asked the signatory countries of the Budapest Memorandum and the EU for assistance in repelling Russian aggression.
“We turn to our partners according to the Budapest Memorandum, who have taken on themselves the obligation to protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of our state; we turn to the European Union, including the participants of the …
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Russian border guard ship rams into Ukrainian Navy tug boat in Kerch Strait
On the morning of November 25, a Russian ship rammed into the tug boat Yana Kapu belonging to the Ukrainian Navy, reported the press service of the Ukrainian Navy.
According to the press service, two Ukrainian small armored boats Berdyansk and Nikopol, accompanied by the tug boat, carried out a planned transition from the port of Odessa to Mariupol. Russia was informed about the ships voyage beforehand.
“However, contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the sea and the Ukrainian-Russian …
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President Poroshenko: Ukraine to establish new coast guard system to defend against 'sea invasion'
During an address to border guards in Cherkasy, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that by the end of 2018, there will be a new sea guard system along the country’s entire coast, which will monitor the maritime border from Izmail on the Black Sea to Mariupol on the Sea of Azov, UNN reports.
“To protect Ukraine’s territory against an invasion from the sea, the relevant constituent is being expanded,” the head of state said.
He emphasized that the military drills which were held on the …
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Russia threatens to close the Azov Sea to Ukrainian vessels
A member of the Committee on Defense and Security of the Federation Council Frants Klintsevich commented on Facebook the detention of 15 ships by Ukrainian border guards for visiting ports of Crimea, calling the situation absurd.
“This is clearly an absurdity. And it doesn’t matter if we are talking about Russian ships or ships from foreign governments, both completely legally entered ports in the Crimea,” he stated.
According to him, Kyiv is provoking Moscow to respond. The senator stressed …
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No Ukraine-NATO drills planned in Sea of Azov
Ukraine and NATO do not intend to hold joint exercises in the Sea of Azov, said Vadym Prystaiko, head of Ukraine’s NATO representation.
“Joint exercises or operations in the Sea of Azov will definitely be perceived by Russia as provocation. The Alliance does not plan to provoke Russia… We do not yet have plans to conduct exercises in the Sea of Azov with NATO,” he told Interfax-Ukraine in an interview.
He also pointed out that bringing military ships into the Sea of Azov is currently …
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US: Russia’s actions in Sea of Azov infringe on Ukraine’s sovereignty
Russia’s aggressive actions in the Sea of Azov are a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, said US Deputy Representative to the UN Jonathan Cohen at a UN Security Council session on Tuesday.
“The aggressive actions in the Sea of Azov, where Russia is preventing access to Ukrainian ports, are a violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and undermine international law,” the American diplomat observed.
According to Cohen, this interferes with both the process of …