Illustrative image: RIA Novosti / Aleksandr Polegenko
Russian coastguards have reportedly detained the Ukrainian fishing boat “Amur” with two persons on board in the Sea of Azov, the Ukrainian media says. According to reports, the incident allegedly took place on May 10. If this is confirmed, the May 10 detantion was the seond since the start of May.
On May 4, Russia’s FSB Border Department in Crimea said in a statement that the fishing vessel YMK-0041 (homeported in Ochakiv, Ukraine) had been detained for “illegal fishing” by coastguards off the coast of the Russian Republic of Crimea.
In late April, Russian coastguards started to inspect vessels heading to Ukraine on a daily basis.
These actions were triggered by actions from the Ukrainain side, which illegally seized the Nord fishing vessel [with 10 people on board] flying the flag of the Russian Federation in the territorial waters of Russia.
According to some signals and Russian sources, if the Ukrainian side continues its agressive activities against Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, Moscow may ban maritime traffic through the Kerch Strait thus blocking the Ukrainian economic maritime trade activity through the Sea of Azov.
