All military maneuvers carried out by Russian Navy ships in the Black Sea
during the war games comply with international law and trade routes are not
affected. This was stated by the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, Thursday
(02/11/2022).
The Russian presidential spokesman denied Kiev's claim that the maneuvers of
the Russian warships had blocked trade routes in the Black Sea.
"All military maneuvers and deployments by Russian ships in the Black Sea
are carried out in accordance with international maritime law," Peskov
stressed, as quoted by the TASS news agency, Thursday (02/10/2022).
When asked about whether this meant that battleships were not blocking trade
routes, the Kremlin press secretary replied: "No (they didn't block)."
As reported, Russia's Black Sea Fleet, a naval task force consisting of the
large amphibious assault ships Korolyov, Minsk, Kaliningrad, Pyotr Morgunov,
Georgy Pobedonosets, and Olenegorsky Gornyak has completed its inter-fleet
transit around Europe.
Russian naval vessels are currently arriving at the main naval base of the
Black Sea Fleet, the port city of Sevastopol.
In accordance with the 2022 training plan of the Russian Armed Forces, a
series of naval exercises were held in January-February this year in all
areas of responsibility of the Navy fleet under the general command of the
Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Nikolay Yevmenov.
Naval maneuvers are focused on measures by the Navy and Aerospace Forces to
protect Russia's national interests in the World Ocean and counter military
threats to Russia from seas and oceans.
The exercises cover the seas adjacent to Russian territory as well as
operationally important areas in the World Ocean.
Separate exercises will be conducted in the Mediterranean Sea, North Sea and
Okhotsk, in the northeast Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.
In all, the massive exercise will bring together more than 140 warships and
support ships, more than 60 aircraft, 1,000 items of military hardware and
about 10,000 troops.
Earlier, Kyiv strongly condemned the combat drills of six Russian warships
in the Black Sea, near the southern coast of Ukraine.
According to Kiev, Moscow's maneuvers make navigation in the Black and Sea
of Azov nearly impossible.
"Russia's actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for the rules and
principles of international law," the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
said in a statement Thursday.
The ministry also added that Kyiv would work closely with partner countries
to prepare a response.
"The aggressive actions of the Russian Federation as part of a hybrid war
against Ukraine are unacceptable," the ministry continued, as quoted by Al
Jazeera.