"This is our land, this is our sea and we will liberate Crimea": Russia wants to annex the Sea of Azov

 

Russia wants to annex the Sea of Azov. The Russian State Duma has already submitted a bill on determining the status of this sea as an exclusively internal water part of Russia, which is not covered by international law, the Russian publication "RIA Novosti" reported on December 5, referring to the deputy of the Russian parliament Mikhail Sheremet (located under the Ukrainian and Western sanctions, for which a warrant was issued in Ukraine).

According to him, the document has already been approved by the competent committee, and they can vote for it by the end of this year. Sheremet also noted that after the Russian occupation of the Ukrainian regions of Zaporozhye, Kherson and Donetsk, which have access to the Sea of Azov, "historical justice prevailed, and Ukraine lost the status of a coastal state".

 

"Reaction to the IMO decision"

 

Pavel Lakijchuk, head of security programs of the Center for Global Studies "Strategy XXI", believes that Russia's intentions to annex the Sea of Azov are connected with the fact that it was recently excluded from the Council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

"This is one of the important international organizations for Russia, in which Russia has always had a leading position and a serious influence. And obviously, they didn't declare earlier at the international level that they define the Sea of Azov as their internal waters just so as not to irritate the IMO. And now it's the other way around: "You kicked us out, so here you go! We spit on international maritime law, we spit on the International Maritime Organization." This is a demonstrative action," explained Lakijchuk.

Russia's announcement about the annexation of the Sea of Azov will have no significance for the war - Ukraine will still liberate it, Lakiychuk is convinced.

 

  "Determining a port, port water area or sea on internal waters is a legal act. That is why it is neither hot nor cold. Because, actually, the regime of internal waters of the Sea of Azov was introduced by Russia after the occupation, immediately, after the occupation of the Sea of Azov and the coast of the Sea of Azov. From a military point of view, this again does not affect anything. This is our land, this is our sea, and we will liberate the Azov region, we will liberate Crimea, we will liberate our Sea of Azov," Lakiychuk emphasized.

It is dangerous to keep Russian ships and missile carriers in the Sea of Azov, because they can be hit by Ukrainian forces, the expert added.

"I would say that on the contrary, the more ships they bring to the Sea of Azov, the fewer there will be in the Black Sea," emphasized Lakijčuk.

 

How does the Russian Federation use the port of Mariupol?

 

The adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, Pyotr Andryushchenko, said that the Russian occupation authorities are using the port in this city at almost full capacity.

"Clearly the first thing that catches everyone's eye and is on their mind is uploading. In this case, they also use the port of Mariupol. It works almost completely. Why do I say almost? Because there are limitations in functioning. Russian corruption works there, and therefore the courts of only one semi-state corporation work there. By the way, it is the same story with the port of Berdyansk. The only thing I heard is that Berdyansk port is used more as a military base. The port of Mariupol is still a civilian base. And he works on shipping cargo," Andryushchenko says.

 

"They want to make money from fish"

 

According to him, in addition, Russia will be able to develop fishing in the Sea of Azov and make money from it. Another component for which the Russian side has been fighting for a long time is the fish stocks of the Sea of Azov, the expert pointed out.

"Especially sturgeon. It's just gold. And now it is completely at their disposal. There they can do whatever they want, control the catch and breeding of certain types of fish above all. Therefore, we should not forget about this. As a person who grew up on the Sea of Azov, I know the difference between, for example, black caviar grown in the Sea of Azov and that, for example, from Astrakhan. But, in principle, there are two points where it actually exists in its natural form. That is, believe me, there is a price difference, simply insane. Do not underestimate that the Russians do not think about it. They make money from everything, including this," Lakijčuk pointed out.

Russia will develop a commercial ship while the Sea of Azov is under its control, Andryushchenko believes. He notes that all steppe agricultural production around the Azov region is tied to ports, which makes it quite attractive and economically profitable.

If the annexation of the Sea of Azov is announced, the Kremlin will show the world that the entire territory washed by this sea actually belongs to the Russian Federation, added the advisor to the mayor of Mariupol.

Taking into account the hostilities and the Russian occupation of parts of the southern territories of Ukraine, the editorial office cannot obtain official confirmation of some of the statements made or independently verify them.

 

"Worthless Intentions"

 

In 2003, Russia and Ukraine signed and ratified a treaty that included provisions that the Sea of Azov, a body of water of nearly 25,000 square kilometers, is a historic inland body of water for both Russia and Ukraine, and that Ukrainian or Russian-flagged vessels use the Sea of Azov for free navigation.

In February of this year, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine canceled the agreement.

Later, in June of this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law canceling the treaty, declaring that Ukraine had allegedly lost its status as a littoral state on the Sea of Azov.

An expert of the Crimean Reintegration Association, international lawyer Boris Babin calls the Kremlin's intentions to annex the Sea of Azov "negligible". However, Ukraine will be able to use it as another proof of Russian crimes and violations of international law.

"The Sea of Azov has the status of international waters. In 1992, Ukraine submitted a corresponding request to the UN to recognize the starting lines of the Sea of Azov and, accordingly, the list of coordinates. After that, territorial waters in the Sea of Azov had to be defined, the neighboring zone is exclusively the economic zone of the country. And that's why all these aggressor statements are for internal use only. The aggressor understands that there will soon be international decisions, that there will be a decision by a special court, especially on maritime law, which is expected in the coming years. There will be a number of

other international decisions on these issues. In these conditions, they are just trying to make a show with these fakes," explained Babin.

 

"Propaganda practice"

 

Russia has no military successes at sea, so it is interested, at least formally, in announcing the annexation of the reservoir, Babin noted. He considers it a purely Russian propaganda practice.

"We see a good situation for us, a shameful situation for them in the Black Sea, when Ukraine, in fact, having no fleet, destroys the Russian fleet. Therefore, they must be covered by any false statements in this dimension. Such statements are recognized as an attempt to change the situation through propaganda," said the expert.

Russian representatives should be excluded from all possible maritime organizations, he added.

"There is an International Maritime Organization. There, I think, additional resolutions should be adopted. We also have other organizations in which Russia is located illegally, violating international maritime and transport law, with its entry into the Danube Commission. Russia has nothing to do with the Danube, but their representatives are still sometimes seen in the work of this structure. Here, it is necessary to work systematically on pushing out the aggressor state from all maritime and related transport organizations, that is very important," said Babin.

 

"At least some electoral victory"

 

Russian political émigré, former United Russia party analyst Leonid Vlasyuk said that Russia's intentions to announce the annexation of the Sea of Azov seem consistent from the point of view of the presidential election campaign.

"This, as it were, on the part of the Russians shows their hope for victory, achievement of goals, annexation of new territories. All of this fits in very well with the Russian elections that are due to take place in March. All this fits well into the pre-election campaign. And since they can't win in Avdiievka, they will try to win like this, so that it can be any kind of victory," Vlasjuk believes.

The reaction of the West would be important in such a case, says the analyst. Since Russia is now testing its strength in every way. Ukraine's reaction will be no less important.

 

"There has to be a reaction. Statement of protest, statement of non-recognition, a whole series of actions. But it is important how Ukraine will respond. Because Western sanctions will be imposed on exactly that and those actions. And Russia is doing such things now, realizing and thinking that the support of the West in this war with Ukraine is rapidly declining. They are trying to look back on what is happening in America, on the fact that America does not support Ukraine. But we survived everything and we will win in the end. These are such demonstrative steps. They are looking at how to divide the West," he said.

According to Vlasjuk, "it should come out with a very loud statement about the non-recognition of Russian actions, about another violation of all borders and rights, and about the fact that Russia does not want the peace process and does not want to participate in the negotiations."

Russian troops occupied the coastal areas of Zaporozhye, Kherson and Donetsk in the first days and months of the invasion. Warships of the Russian Navy, which provide protection of the land corridor to occupied Crimea, have been transferred to Ukrainian ports on the Sea of Azov.

At the same time, Moscow does not fully control the territory of any Ukrainian region, whose annexation it announced. Significant parts of the Zaporozhye region (especially its center, the city of Zaporozhye), as well as the territories of Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, remain under the control of Kyiv.