Russia partially unlocked the Kerch Strait

Russia partially unlocked the passage of the vessels following the Kerch Strait to the Azov ports of Ukraine and from them. This was announced by the head of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine Volodymyr Omelyan.

“The Russian side stops the courts, examines them, as before, but partially the movement is restored,” the official said.

As of 8 in the morning in Kyiv (9 in the morning Moscow time), tolerance to the Sea of ​​Azov was expected from Black, 17 ships were expected from Azov to Black - 1 more ships stood at the berths in the ports.

Omelyan explained the improvement of the situation with the coordinated actions of the Ukrainian authorities, the strict reaction of the international community to violations of marine law by Russia, as well as the attention of foreign media to the problem.

Meanwhile, the Director of the State Border Service of Ukraine Peter Gyphyl brought completely different data. According to him, 170 vessels expect a passage in both directions; A few days ago, this value was more than two times larger - about 400.

“There is a quiet economic blockade,” said Gigikal. “They practically (Russia. - Ed.) They did not change - only complicated.”

First of all, the director of the GPS said, Russia misses its own vessels, as well as those foreign ones that follow Russian ports, and only, lastly, ships heading to the ports of Ukraine.

During Monday, the publication of the State Border Service is noted, only 7 vessels passed through the strait that followed the Azov ports of Ukraine or from them, with more than 20 Russian or headed to Russian or from Russian ports. A day earlier, these values ​​amounted to 10 and 40, respectively.

Gigal also noted: "Such a number of ships in a small strait affects the safety of shipping."

Indeed, the night before, the Ministry of Affairs of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine reported that the Blocade of the Kerch Strait on November 25 provoked a number of accidents. So, on November 30, the Lady Maria Tomatoles vessel, maneuvering in the Strait area, was entangled in a screw in the anizo azov Concord Maltese vessel.

On December 1, the Russian tugboat Pal 3 at the exit from the Sea of ​​Azov lost control of the Shilanyay barge, loaded with about 4 thousand tons of wheat. The barge broke off and sat aground. The captain of the towed for several hours tried to independently remove the barge from the shallow, but these attempts were unsuccessful.