Expert: Russia turns off sensors on its ships carrying illegal cargo in Black Sea

Ships flying the Russian flag often carry out illegal cargo transportation.

Stepan Yakymiak, the head of the Navy Department of the National Defense University of Ukraine, said this at the Military Media Center, according to Ukrinform.

According to the expert, "ships flying the flag of the Russian Federation often carry out illegal cargo transportation. First of all, it concerns oil. For such illegal transportation, Russians use the territorial waters of Ukraine near Crimea and other areas. This is a violation of the International Maritime Law."

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He noted that the International Maritime Organization recommends using sensors on every ship that provide data on where the ship is, under whose flag it is flying, and what its mission is. This is to ensure safety and transparency, said the 1st Rank Captain.

In addition, Yakymiak noted that the Russian Federation turns off sensors on a massive scale, constantly and daily, violating the legal aspects of the temporarily occupied territorial sea and international law.

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As reported, the ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation do not feel safe near the temporarily occupied Crimean peninsula. Recently, the Russians have been increasingly sending ships closer to internationally recognized borders to avoid being attacked.