Ukraine border guards consider Russian inspections of vessels in Sea of Azov political, economic pressure

Spokesman for Ukraine's State Border Guard Service Oleh Slobodyan says inspections of vessels by Russia in the Sea of Azov constitute political and economic pressure on Ukraine.

According to the Agreement on Cooperation between Ukraine and Russia in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait of 2004, the Sea of Azov is a sea of internal use of the two states, the official said at a press conference in Kyiv on July 25.

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That is, both Ukraine and Russia can freely use the entire basin of the sea.

"The agreement is valid. Therefore, the Russian side can formally inspect the vessels. But we are well aware that in this here is a mechanism used as a political and economic pressure on Ukraine," Slobodyan said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, according to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, starting from the second half of April, Russian coast guards launched inspections of foreign vessels bound for and heading from the ports of Ukraine.

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According to Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry, Russian border guards detained 148 ships as of July 16.

Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan believes the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine should consider the issue.