Ukraine Calls on the Hague Tribunal to Order Russia to Dismantle the Kerch Bridge

The Hague Tribunal should order Russia to dismantle and remove the so-called Kerch Bridge, as this is the only way to restore passage for ships from all countries that have used the strait in the past and ships that will use the strait in the future. This was reported by UNN with reference to the speech of the Deputy Agent of Ukraine Oksana Zolotareva at the Arbitration Tribunal.

Details

According to Zolotareva, Russia, which ratified the UNCLOS Convention, agreed to abide by the law of the sea, but as the past two weeks have shown, Russia has violated this obligation for its own interests, ignoring its international legal obligations to respect freedom of navigation, protect the marine environment and preserve underwater cultural heritage.

"We ask this Tribunal to tell Russia that 'enough is enough'. We ask you to fulfill the intent of the Convention on the Law of the Sea. We ask you to uphold the legal norms of the oceans and seas designed to protect the common interests of all mankind. The tribunal should order Russia to dismantle and remove the so-called Kerch Bridge. Dismantling the bridge is the only way to restore passage for vessels of all countries that have used the strait in the past and for vessels that will use the strait in the future. Russia illegally built this bridge, and now it must remove it to ensure passage through the Kerch Strait in accordance with international law," Zolotareva said.

She emphasized that it is not enough to tell Russia that it is violating international law, it is necessary to order Russia to provide guarantees that it will not repeat its violations in the future.

"Russia should be ordered to stop its illegal behavior. Russia should be ordered to clean up the consequences of its illegal actions by releasing and canceling its registration of the Ukrainian drilling rigs it has illegally seized and whose flag it has changed. Russia should be ordered to conduct appropriate studies on the impact of Russian construction projects in the Kerch Strait on the marine environment. It is also necessary to order Russia to take measures to remediate the environmental damage caused by these projects and to study the ongoing risks of environmental damage," Zolotareva added.

Recall

On September 23, hearings began in The Hague in arbitration proceedings initiated by Ukraine against the Russian Federation under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to protect its rights as a coastal state in the maritime zones adjacent to Crimea in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait.