Ukraine to ban Russian ships from entering internal waters

Ukrainian Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yuriy Lavrenyuk says the ministry has proposed barring Russian ships from entering Ukraine's internal waters.

Read alsoRussia boosts navy presence in Azov Sea, provocations possible – Ukraine military"The Ukrainian Infrastructure Ministry will appeal to [the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine] NSDC regarding a ban on the entry of Russian vessels into Ukraine's inland waterways due to a high level of the threat of terrorism," the ministry's press service quoted Lavrenyuk as saying.

According to the official, critical infrastructure facilities are located on the rivers of Ukraine. Therefore, the presence of Russian vessels is unacceptable there.

He also said that the ministry had transferred materials on unauthorized calls of vessels at the Crimean ports to the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attach them to an international lawsuit against Russia.

The ministry also plans to strengthen measures to identify vessels illegally entering the closed ports in Russian-occupied Crimea.