The delegation of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, led by the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army Navy Command of Ukraine, Rear Admiral Dmitry Taranom in Austria, participated in annual consultations on the implementation of the Instrument of Confidence and Security in the Navy in the Black Sea . The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the issues of improving the safety of navigation in the Black Sea, exchange of information about the planned maritime exercises for 2019, and national proposals for amending the said Document in order to increase its effectiveness.

The participants of the event, which has been held for 16 years in a row, in addition to Ukraine were diplomatic representatives of Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey and the Russian Federation. Particular attention was paid to the occupation by the Russian Federation of Crimea and the territories of Ukraine in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, the attack and seizure of the ships and crews of the Ukrainian Navy on the 25th of November, 2018 during their passage through the Kerch Strait. It was stressed that these actions of the Russian Federation seriously threaten the security situation in the Black Sea region. Diplomatic representatives called on the Russian Federation to immediately return the captured boats to Ukraine, to release the captured members of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and to stop illegal actions to block the Kerch Strait.

Representatives of the aggressor country abstained from comments.

At the end of the Consultation, the presidency of the Document from Ukraine to Bulgaria was handed over, along with the symbol of the presidency – the Navy Corps). The event took place from December 15 till December 20.

Press center of the Navy Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine