Russia is transferring two FSB coast guard ships to the Sea of Azov
After October 20, two border patrol ships (PSKR) of the Russian Federation will arrive in the Sea of Azov. The Ukrainian Military Portal reported this on October 16.
“Russia continues to increase the number of its surface forces in the Azov and Black Seas. The transfer of two PSKR-920 (no. 178) “Syktyvkar” and PSKR-921 “Kizlyar” (no. 177) of project 10410 “Firefly” of the Coast Guard of the FSB of the Russian Federation is being carried out,” the portal notes.
On October 10, PSKR-921 “Kizlyar” (b/n 177) was noticed in the Cheboksary reservoir near Nizhny Novgorod during the transition from Arkhangelsk. On October 11, PSKR-920 (no. 178) “Syktyvkar” followed the same route.
“It is not yet known to which coast guard detachment of the FSB of the Russian Federation these ships are being sent,” the message says.
In April, Russian border guards began stopping ships in the Sea of Azov. Over four months, the Russian Federation detained more than 150 foreign ships that were heading to Ukrainian ports, press secretary of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Oleg Slobodyan said on August 21.
The State Border Service emphasized that Russia has the right to inspect ships within the framework of the agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. The 2003 treaty stipulates that merchant ships and warships, as well as other state vessels flying the flag of the Russian Federation or Ukraine, operated for non-commercial purposes, enjoy freedom of navigation in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. The agreement on delimiting the sea by the state border line was never signed.
On July 10, the Ukrainian parliament registered draft resolution No. 8583 “On the appeal of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the President and the Minister of Defense regarding the agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait.” The authors of the resolution suggested that the head of state submit to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law on the denunciation of the agreement between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait.
On August 27, Deputy Foreign Minister Elena Zerkal said that the denunciation of the agreement with Russia on the Sea of Azov would give the Kremlin an opportunity to declare a territorial dispute.
In early September, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine approved a set of measures aimed at protecting the national interests of Ukraine in the southern regions, waters of the Azov and Black Seas.
Chairman of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Petr Tsigikal said that about 270 special forces soldiers will be sent to serve in units in the Azov and Black Seas.
According to the US State Department Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker, the United States is considering the possibility of providing Ukraine with more lethal weapons to strengthen air defense and maritime defense.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine reported on September 16 that two artillery armored boats of the Ukrainian Navy were launched in Berdyansk. It was noted that by the end of 2022 it is planned to create a naval base in the Sea of Azov to counter the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation in this region.
