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KERCH STRAIT PROVOCATION

Crimean maritime authorities reject claims about Ukraine’s Azov Sea ports being blocked

According to the official procedure, all ships must apply for passage through the Kerch Strait 48 hours in advance and confirm the application 24 hours in advance

SIMFEROPOL, November 29. /TASS/. Kiev’s claims that Ukrainian ships travelling to and from the country’s ports on the Sea of Azov are being prevented from passing through the Kerch Strait are not true, a Crimean maritime authority source told TASS.

KERCH STRAIT PROVOCATION

On Wednesday, Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Vladimir Omelyan accused Russia of blocking Ukraine’s Azov Sea ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk by preventing ships from travelling to and from there. He said that 35 ships were being blocked and traffic was only possible towards Russia’s ports on the Sea of Azov.

"No one is blocking any ships, traffic depends on actual weather conditions," the source said.

He added that according to the official procedure, all ships must apply for passage through the Kerch Strait 48 hours in advance and confirm the application 24 hours in advance.

"A ship usually makes an application 48 hours in advance and waits to be allowed to pass," the source said. "Reports about ships… waiting in vain for a permission to pass through the strait are not true," he noted.

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