The Ukrainian authorities demand from the Arbitration Tribunal in The Hague, which is considering the case of Russia's violation of the UN Maritime Convention, to oblige the Russian Federation to dismantle the illegally built Crimean Bridge.
Points of attention
- Dismantling the bridge is the only way to restore the passage of ships of all countries through the Kerch Strait.
- Ukraine also demands from Russia a guarantee of non-interference in the future.
- It is necessary to conduct a study of the impact of Russian construction projects in the Kerch Strait on the marine environment and eliminate environmental damage.
The Crimean bridge should be dismantled
The non-appealable demand was voiced by the deputy of the Agent of Ukraine, Oksana Zolotaryova.
According to her, dismantling the bridge remains the only way to restore the passage for ships of all countries that have used the strait in the past and ships that will use the strait in the future.
Oksana Zolotaryova also reminded once again that the aggressor country illegally built this bridge, and now it must remove it to ensure passage through the Kerch Strait in accordance with international law.
Russia must do this in line with other UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) obligations to protect the marine environment and underwater cultural heritage... We ask this tribunal to tell Russia: "Enough." We ask you to implement the intention of the Convention on the Law of the Sea. We ask you to adhere to the legal norms of the World Ocean, designed to protect the common interests of all humanity, Zolotaryova said.
Russia should also provide guarantees to Ukraine
As Zolotaryova notes, it is also extremely important to order Russia to provide guarantees that it will not repeat its violations in the future.
She emphasized that the aggressor country should remove the consequences of its illegal actions by releasing and canceling its registration of Ukrainian drilling rigs, which it illegally captured and whose flag it changed.
Russia should be ordered to conduct appropriate studies on the impact of Russian construction projects in the Kerch Strait on the marine environment.
In addition, it is important to order the Kremlin to take steps to remedy the environmental damage caused by these projects and to examine the ongoing risks of environmental damage.
