The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses deep indignation over the Russian Federation´s internationally wrongful acts, which have repeatedly been aimed at the violation of Ukraine´s sovereign rights as a coastal State for the purpose of exploring and exploiting natural resources in its territorial sea and on the continental shelf ensured by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
We consider provocative removal by the Russian Side of two automatic hoist boring rigs В-312 and В-319 and oil platform “Tavryda”, property of Ukraine, located in the Black Sea, as another vestige of massive pillage of property and natural resources perpetrated by the aggressor State since the occupation of part of Ukraine´s sovereign territory – the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
These actions complemented the list of proofs of Russian Federation´s aggressive behavior аnd its neglect of international law, as well as evidence of violation by Russia of its commitments as an occupying Power, particularly with regard to inviolability of property rights.
Given reported circumstances, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine defines the above mentioned activities of the Russian Federation as internationally wrongful acts aimed at the systemic violation of sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction of Ukraine over internal waters, territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the Black and Azov seas.
In this connection, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls the Russian Federation to international responsibility, demands from the Russian Federation to take all practically possible measures to prevent internationally wrongful acts, to provide appropriate assurances and guarantees that they will not repeat it in the future and to immediately restitute property to Ukraine.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reserves a right to demand from the Russian Side to be reimbursed for the damage arising out of its actions bearing all evidence of internationally wrongful acts for the purpose of Convention.