Ukrainian courts incite tensions in Fleet zone - Russian Navy
Attempts to break into the "Khersonessky" lighthouse are fanning tensions in the areas of Crimea where the Russian Black Sea Fleet is based, the Russian Navy's main headquarters said.
"Acts like that in relation to the Black Sea Fleet's navigation and hydrographic facilities have been regularly committed by Ukraine's arbitration courts since 2008 through to 2009, which creates tensions in the areas in Sevastopol and Crimea, where the Russian Black Sea Fleet is based," the Russian Navy said in a press release on Thursday.
"The Russian Naval command sees such acts as illegitimate, as going against the 1997 basic agreements and as directly damaging the talks between Russia and Ukraine within the framework of the sub-commission for matters related to the Black Sea Fleet's presence and functioning in Ukraine," the press release says.
The sub-commission was formed precisely "to discuss all problems in a civilized format," it says.
"Significantly, the rulings passed by local Ukrainian courts have no legal effect on the facilities of the Russian Black Seas Fleet, while the recurrent attempts to disrupt their operation are creating additional tensions in the region where the Black Sea Fleet is based,"the press release says.
"The Black Sera Fleet's navigation and hydrographic installations have been under tight security for several years in order to exclude provocations and to guarantee their reliable operation in the interests of safe navigation," the Russian Navy said.