Kerch bridge is illegal, it must be dismantled - Ukraine in Hague
Today, on 23 September, the delegation of Ukraine, headed by Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Anton Korynevych, began presenting Ukraine's position at oral hearings at the Arbitration Tribunal in the case concerning the rights of Ukraine as a coastal state in the Black and Azov Seas and in the Kerch Strait (Ukraine v. Russia).
This was reported by Censor.NET with reference to the press centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Korynevych, in this case, Ukraine proves numerous violations of the law of the sea by Russia and demonstrates that Russia has no right to rewrite the law of the sea. States parties have agreed on UNCLOS as the constitution of the seas. Every state party, including the Russian Federation, must abide by its provisions.
"When Ukraine filed a lawsuit in this case in 2016, Russia's disrespect for international law was already evident. Russia started building the so-called Kerch Bridge. It started harassing foreign-flagged ships. It seized drilling rigs flying the flag of Ukraine. It has appropriated precious underwater cultural heritage. Russia has also illegally occupied Crimea and expanded its aggression to other regions of Ukraine, which is another indication of its disrespect for Ukraine and international law," he stressed.
Korynevych also focused on Russia's illegal construction of the Kerch Bridge.
Today, this bridge not only prevents transit passage, but is also used by Russia to constantly transport weapons to the Crimean peninsula... The bridge is illegal and must be dismantled. The passage through the Kerch Strait should be similar to what it was before this illegal obstruction of navigation," the ambassador added.
The essence of the case
On 14 September 2016, Ukraine initiated separate proceedings against Russia for violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and seeks to confirm Ukraine's rights in the Black and Azov Seas and the Kerch Strait through arbitration.
In May 2017, the first meeting of the tribunal under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea was held, within the framework of which an arbitral tribunal was established to consider the dispute between Ukraine and Russia. A memorandum, i.e. a package of evidence that Russia is violating Ukraine's sovereign rights in the Black and Azov Seas and the Kerch Strait, was submitted to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on 19 February 2018. Russia filed its objections to the jurisdiction of the International Tribunal to consider Ukraine's claim against Russia.
Earlier, Censor.NET reported that hearings on the merits of Ukraine's claim against Russia for violation of the law of the sea will begin in The Hague.
