Time Plus News

Breaking News, Latest News, World News, Headlines and Videos

Russia closes sea lanes: Ukraine

Kiev has accused Russia of blocking Ukraine’s shipping lanes in the Black Sea and Azov Sea. Allegations surfaced next week that Russia was conducting naval exercises in those two seas. News from the BBC.

Russia has recently begun large-scale military exercises with neighboring Belarus amid tensions with the West over the Ukraine issue. Belarus is a close ally of Russia. The country also has a long border with Ukraine. France called the exercise “a sign of violence.” And Ukraine says the exercise is tantamount to “psychological stress.” In addition to the 10-day military exercise with Belarus, Russia will hold naval exercises next week in the Black Sea and Azov Sea in southern Ukraine. The country has issued warnings in coastal areas, citing tests of missiles and other heavy weapons as part of the exercise.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has accused the Sea of ​​Azov of being completely blocked. The Black Sea is also almost completely isolated from Ukraine by Russian forces.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry says the exercise will be conducted over an unprecedented area. And then navigation in those two seas will become virtually impossible.
In a Twitter post, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov accused Russia of blocking international waters in both seas.

The US embassy in Ukraine has condemned the exercise. Russia is blocking Ukraine’s sovereignty by sea, according to a post on the embassy’s Twitter account. It is restricting the freedom of navigation in the Black Sea and the Azov Sea. This is hampering shipping, which is considered urgent for Ukraine’s economy.

Since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Ukraine has been embroiled in tensions with the country in the Black Sea and Azov Sea regions. In 2016, Russia seized three Ukrainian ships.

Russia has recently deployed tanks and large numbers of troops along the Ukrainian border. The United States and the West fear that Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine at any time. However, Moscow has denied any involvement in the attack.

Russia’s military exercise with Belarus is called Allied Resolve 2022. The exercise is being held on the Ukraine-Belarus border. About 30,000 Russian troops are believed to have taken part in the exercise.