Accident in the Kerch Strait: the Navy says tankers violated navigation requirements
Kyiv • UNN
The Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239 tankers went to sea during the storm, violating the requirements of navigation. According to a spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, the 50-year-old vessels ignored safety rules and the identification system.
Two Russian ships, Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239, which began sinking near the Kerch Strait on December 15, went to sea without complying with the requirements of navigation.
This was stated by the spokesman of the Ukrainian Navy Dmytro Pletenchuk on Suspilne. Studio”, reports UNN.
The weather conditions that existed at that time at sea were not those in which they could be on the high seas... Here, as always, the Russians violated everything they could violate
According to him, the storm season is currently underway and will end by mid-spring. Until then, it will be difficult to clarify all the circumstances, and it will be difficult for the Russians to pull the tankers out of the water. At the same time, such stormy conditions make it difficult for warships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet to leave the bays and use cruise missiles.
In addition, the Ukrainian Navy spokesman emphasized that these tankers are old, over 50 years old. They could also have been delayed longer than planned, but the ship's captain had to take all these factors into account and calculate all the risks.
But, of course, transferring Russian oil or other fuels and lubricants is more important to them than complying with the requirements for the safety of civilian shipping
He noted that this is not the only such case when they violate the rules of navigation. In particular, it is a failure to comply with the requirements for coastal warnings and the constant shutdown of the identification system. According to the Ukrainian Navy spokesman, one of these vessels that was involved in an accident near the Kerch Strait also periodically turned off the system.
In addition, Ukraine has officially closed the Kerch Strait to civilian shipping for more than a year. But the Russians are ignoring these rules, he added. In general, the situation with the Russian navy is quite complicated. They have not invested in the development of this infrastructure, and it will take a lot of time to restore it, Pletenchuk noted.
Addendum Addendum
UNN reported that in the Kerch Strait, two Volgoneft tankers had an accident, one ran aground.
