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EU urges Russia to overturn decision to block part of Black Sea

The decision is to close a part of the Black Sea near Crimea and restrict the air space over the peninsula between April 24 and October 31

BRUSSELS, April 23. /TASS/. The European Union is calling on Russia to reverse its decision to close a part of the Black Sea near Crimea and restrict the air space over the peninsula until October 31, Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the EU Peter Stano told TASS on Friday.

"The decision of the Russian Federation to close certain parts of the Black Sea until 31 October and to restrict airspace access over the illegally-annexed Crimea are further violations of international law, and further destabilise the region. We call on Russia to annul this decision," he stressed.

According to a bulletin of the Department of Navigation and Oceanography of the Russian Defense Ministry, passing of foreign military ships and other state vessels in a number of Black Sea regions in Russia’s territorial waters is suspended between April 24 and October 31. The document does not specify the reason behind the decision and what agency initiated it.

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