Russia partially unblocks Ukrainian ports in Sea of Azov

11:09, 04.12.2018 1 min read

As of December 3, 2018, ships have resumed navigation through the Kerch Strait towards the Ukrainian ports in the Sea of Azov, Ukraine's Ministry of Infrastructure has said.

"The Berdiansk and Mariupol ports have been partially unblocked. The ships can now proceed through the Kerch Strait towards the Ukrainian ports. They are stopped to be inspected by the Russian party as before; however, navigation has resumed to some degree," Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelian said.

He said 17 ships are awaiting permission to enter the Sea of Azov, and one vessel is waiting for the permission to exit it. Some nine more ships are anchored at the piers in the ports.

He voiced the hope that the Ukrainian ports will be fully unblocked in the coming days, and the Ukrainian naval seamen will be released soon.

As reported earlier, on November 25, Russia blocked the entrance to the Kerch Strait for three Ukrainian naval vessels and detained them along with their crews.