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Ukraine and Russia Clash at International Court Over Control of Kerch Strait

Monday 23 September 2024 - 14:16

Ukraine has accused Russia of violating maritime law by seeking full control over the Kerch Strait, a key waterway linking the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. On Monday, both nations took their dispute to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands, amidst ongoing hostilities.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and over 31 months of conflict have escalated the tensions surrounding this case. Anton Korynevych, representing Ukraine, argued, "Russia wants to seize the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait entirely," and insisted that Ukraine would prove multiple violations of international maritime law.

The legal confrontation stems from Ukraine's 2016 filing, challenging Russia’s construction of the Crimea Bridge, a 19-kilometer (12-mile) structure connecting Russia’s mainland to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014. Ukraine claims the bridge hinders international navigation by being deliberately low, allowing only smaller Russian vessels to pass through, thereby blocking foreign ships from entering the Sea of Azov.

The Kerch Strait and the bridge are vital for Russia's logistics, as they supply essential goods, fuel, and military resources to Crimea and Moscow's forces on Ukraine’s eastern front. Kyiv, which previously attacked the bridge, demands its destruction, citing its strategic misuse by Russia.

Gennady Kuzmin, representing Russia, dismissed Ukraine's accusations, asserting that the PCA lacks the jurisdiction to rule on the case. "All of Ukraine’s claims are unfounded and outside the scope of the court’s authority," Kuzmin stated, adding that the case involves Crimea’s sovereignty, an issue Moscow considers settled.

The PCA, established in 1899, is the world’s oldest arbitral tribunal and resolves disputes involving international treaties, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The hearings are scheduled to run until October 5, though a final ruling could take months or even years.