The Ministry for Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Ukraine has stated that 20 cargo ships violated a ban on entering closed ports in Crimea between February 1, 2018, and the March 1.
A press release from the ministry on March 2 stated: “From February 1 through March 1 20 ships entered ports of occupied Crimea.
“All the ships were sailing under the flag of Russia.
“In general, these ships entered ports of Sevastopol and Kerch 60 times.”
The Ministry has also stated that 18 ships were recorded staying in the waters around Sevastopol, Feodosia and Yalta without calling at a terminal – 16 of which under the Russian flag.
The Russian Federation annexed Crimea in early 2014.
This has led to the administration of the peninsula, a Ukrainian territory since 1954, into two Russian federal subjects — the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine over the disputed regions continue to grow as both sides are trying to take advantage of alleged Ukrainian armed incursions in Crimea.
