Russians escalate inspections of ships headed for Ukraine Black Sea ports

Russian authorities have escalated inspections of
foreign ships headed for Black Sea ports under Ukrainian control, said on Oct.
30 Ihor Voronchenko, the commander of Ukraine’s Naval Forces. Ship captains are
being asked about the purpose of their visit and what they’re hauling, he said.
Though they’re not required to offer answers, most of them respond, he said. “I
think further escalation in the Black Sea can occur,” he said. Meanwhile, the
situation in the Azov Sea remains “very tense,” Voronchenko said. This year,
Russian authorities have been increasingly inspecting ships passing through the
Kerch Strait to Ukraine’s Azov Sea ports of Mariupol and Berdiansk.

The European Parliament approved a resolution on Oct.
25 recognizing Russia’s violations of international maritime law in the Azov
Sea, including the illegal construction of the Crimean Bridge. It calls for EU
member-states to clearly state when sanctions against Russia will be
intensified if the conflict is determined to have escalated. The resolution
will be added to Ukraine’s evidence of Russian crimes to be submitted in
international courts, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Mariana Betsa said
the next day.

Zenon Zawada: The escalating Russian pressure on foreign ships raises the prospects
for an armed conflict eventually. In turn, the Russian government can use a
single conflict, or a series of conflicts, to expand its military aggression
into the Black Sea. We share the view of numerous experts that Russia is in the
process of manufacturing conflicts on numerous frontlines (in the seas, in
Donbas, during elections) to potentially exploit in order to justify expanded
aggression, or possibly expanded occupation eventually.