Ukraine: BSF Illegally Uses 30 Piers, Governor Says

Authorities of Sevastopol reported to Ukrainian government about 30 piers not stipulated by the Russian-Ukrainian Treaty of 1997 but occupied by foreign warships, said Crimea’s Deputy Governor Vladimir Arabadzhi.

According to him, it is “a proved and reliable fact” that “30 piers were not included in the agreement tied between the Russian Federation and Ukraine”, reports ZN.UA.

“De jure, they cannot be occupied by Russian ships, but de facto they are used by Black Sea Fleet. When we received and verified that information [at first, it was told about 38 piers, but really they are 30], we addressed full information about those piers to Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers with the view to bring up this issue at the bilateral commission on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet”, noted the source.

The Sevastopol Deputy Mayor Sergei Savenkov said on Feb 16 that Russian Black Sea Fleet was using 38 piers not mentioned in the intergovernmental leasing agreement. According to Savenkov, that fact was revealed during inventory, “and now we, as hospitable owners, ask an obvious question: what is to be done to redress an injustice?”

[mappress]
Naval Today Staff , March 12, 2012; Image: sevastopol