Rosemary DiCarlo, Under‑Secretary-General for Political Affairs, has called on the Russian Federation and Ukraine to avoid any risk of escalation, provocation or miscalculation in regard to increased tensions in the Sea of Azov.
"The United Nations continues to call upon the parties to ensure the full and immediate implementation of the ceasefire agreements and exercise utmost restraint in order to protect civilians. The priority of the parties should be to withdraw heavy weapons from populated areas without delay, disengage forces and protect civilian infrastructure. Any risk of escalation, provocation or miscalculation must also be avoided in regard to increased tensions in the Sea of Azov," she said at the UN Security Council meeting.
Read alsoRussia demonstrates readiness to undermine regional stability in Sea of Azov – U.S. envoy
As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on October 12 enacted a National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) decree on urgent measures to protect national interests in the south and the east of Ukraine, in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, and the Kerch Strait.
The NSDC decree emphasizes that, having considered threats to national security in the south and the east of Ukraine, in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas and the Kerch Strait, caused by aggressive actions of the Russian Federation, the Council revealed conditions that could critically destabilize the economic, social and political situation, and result in a naval blockade of the Ukraine coast.
The Cabinet was instructed to create an interdepartmental coordinating body that should generalize the legal position of the state on drafting an official, consolidated claim against Russia, demanding its international legal responsibility for armed aggression against Ukraine.
