Ukraine has recorded the activity of Russian submarines in the Bosporus and notified Turkey about Russia's violation of the Montreux Convention.
Leonid Zaliubovsky, a representative of the Ukrainian General Staff and an assistant to the Ukrainian Navy commander in charge of legal work, has told an Ukrinform correspondent.
Ukrainian military provided relevant data to the Turkish side through the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
"We note the activity of Russian submarines that, under the pretext of undergoing repairs, actually violate the Montreux Convention concerning the passage of the Bosporus, for which Turkey is responsible. We informed the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry that we see some problems. In fact, this is a violation. As far as I know, the ministry sent inquiries to the Turkish Republic. They know about this situation and are studying it," Zaliubovsky said.
In addition, he said in a report during an international scientific conference on maritime law that over the past two months, Ukrainian troops recorded Russia's increased activity both in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Black Sea.
"In accordance with this [Montreux] Convention, the states of the Black Sea region may send their submarines beyond the Black Sea for the sole purpose of their maintenance. But the Russian Federation, under the pretext of technical maintenance, actually organizes a full deployment of submarines in the Mediterranean. This is an obvious violation of international law," Zaliubovsky said.
He also said that over the next three to four years, Russia plans to build a further 14 warships and station them in the Black Sea.
