Ukraine seeks to ban Russian vessels from entering its territorial waters

The government of Ukraine has submitted a motion to National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to ban all Russian vessels from entering the country’s territorial waters, said Minister of Infrastructures of Ukraine Volodymyr Omelyan.

According to him, the ban may apply also to ships from other countries that enter Crimea and Sevastopol. “The ban will apply all the ships under any flag if they violate Ukrainian laws and international law and enter closed sea ports of temporarily occupied territories,” the minister said.

After the National Security and Defense Council approves the initiative, all the European countries and U.S. will be notified about it. “We are fighting for restoration of territorial integrity of Ukraine step by step through combined efforts of the Ukrainian president, government, and Supreme Rada. I can assure you that Russian flag will not enter Ukraine’s waters and ports until the occupied territories are fully released,” Omelyan said.