Eleven ships violate ban on entering occupied Crimea's ports in November

Eleven tankers and cargo ships in November 2018 entered the ports of Russian-occupied Crimea, which is a violation of the legislation of Ukraine.

"From November 1 to November 30, some 11 tankers and cargo ships entered the ports of occupied Crimea in violation of laws," Ukraine's Ministry for Temporary Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons reported on its website on December 6.

"All ships were under the flag of the Russian Federation. In total, the vessels made 28 calls to the ports of Sevastopol and Kerch," it said.

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"In addition, 13 ships were moored in the harbors of the ports of Sevastopol and Kerch; of them 10 were under the flag of the Russian Federation and one under the flag of Belize, Moldova and the Republic of Togo each," it said.

The ministry reiterated that the Ukrainian seaports of Yevpatoria, Kerch, Sevastopol, Feodosiya and Yalta are closed under Cabinet resolution No. 578-r dated April 30, 2014, on some issues of the functioning of sea and river transport and under Infrastructure Ministry order No. 255 dated May 16, 2014, on the closure of seaports.

"Visits of ships flying under foreign flags to the closed seaports and terminals located on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol is a violation of international law as it undermines Ukraine's sovereignty, infringes on Ukrainian legislation and entails the responsibility, including criminal liability, of shipowners, operators and captains of vessels," the ministry added.