Ukraine bans Russian vessels from accessing its inland waters

On January 1, a law came into force in Ukraine banning Russian vessels from accessing Ukraine's inland waters.

The relevant document was published on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

According to the law, access to the inland waters of Ukraine is prohibited to vessels flying the flag of the aggressor state, which carry passengers and cargo between river ports. The coastal cruises of Russian-flagged vessels are also prohibited.

The registration of Russian vessels in the State Shipping Register of Ukraine is banned.

According to the document, the country's inland waters include Dniester, Danube, and Dnieper rivers.

As reported, on December 9, the Federal Security Service of Russia stated that the Ukrainian ship "Donbas" was sailing towards the Kerch Strait. The press service of the Joint Forces Operation called the statements by the FSB of the Russian Federation fake and stressed that the ship of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "Donbas" had performed tasks in its territorial waters, had not entered "sensitive areas", and was returning to base. Defense Minister of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov said that such reports from Russia were an information attack.

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