As a result of the unauthorized unilateral actions of the Russian Federation, the competent authorities of Ukraine were forced to stop the functioning of the maritime rescue sub-centres in Kerch and Sevastopol in the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, which increased the workload upon the State Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Odessa and complicated its functioning. It is stated in the information document submitted by the Ukrainian Side for consideration of the IMO Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications, Search and Rescue (6-10 March, London).

In its statement at the Sub-Committee’s session the representative of Ukraine also drew attention of IMO Member States to the facts that the Novorossiysk station of the Russian Federation caused interference to the Odessa NAVTEX station as well as that the Russian Federation ceased to forward any relevant Maritime Safety Information on coastal warnings.

The Ukrainian Side has requested the IMO NAVTEX Coordinating Panel to consider the mentioned unauthorized and unilateral actions of the Russian Federation which threaten the safety of navigation in the Northern part of the Black Sea.