Security Service of Ukraine investigating more unauthorized visits of Crimea by foreign ships
In response to the appeal by the Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has promised to include in the records of joint pre-trial investigation the violations in August to September 2017 by foreign vessels of the ban on entry into the ports of annexed Crimea, as reported by the press service of the Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine.
The Ministry’s website indicated that it had previously sent appeals to the Office of the Prosecutor-General, to the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and to the Security Service of Ukraine on "the ascertained facts concerning violations on the ban of ships entering the ports of annexed Crimea in August and September."
The Ministry has listed the latest known facts of violations by foreign cargo vessels.
The violations in question most recently pointed to two calls on the Feodosia seaport: Ramzi cargo ship, which came from Turkey and flying the flag of the Republic of Togo, and Nadalina cargo vessel, which arrived from the Libyan port of Tripoli under the flag of Sierra Leone.
The Ministry also referred to the Alianca, which arrived in Sevastopol seaport from Turkey under the flag of the Republic of Togo.
According to their information, the SBU suspects the violators of offenses listed in Paragraph 1 and 2 of Article 332-1, in Paragraph 2 of Article 364 and in Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
On September 18, the Ministry of the Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons of Ukraine reported that in August 2017, 34 foreign cargo ships visited the ports of annexed Crimea that had been closed by Ukraine.
The entry of ships under foreign flags into the closed seaports and terminals of annexed Crimea and Sevastopol is considered by Ukraine as a violation of international law. Ukraine claims that these actions undermine the country's sovereignty and violate Ukrainian legislation. Such actions make the ship-owners, operators and captains of the vessels criminally liable.