3.3.2014

During the last days there have been isolated cases of entry of units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation into the territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. These actions constituted a gross violation of international law and agreements. At 8.45 a.m. on February 28, technical observation posts on Cape Takil recorded the entry of more than 10 military helicopters coming from with the Russian Federation into Ukrainian air space.

Three helicopters (two SC-27 and one Mi-8) had previously received a permit, landed in Kacha and underwent border/customs procedures according to the established rules.

The remaining helicopters landed near the territory of the airport. The Senior border guard unit requested that these additional helicopters, having entered Ukraine in violation of the agreements and having failed to apply for a permit, undergo customs/border procedures, but did not receive a response.

The Senior border guard unit of the State border guard service of Ukraine declared that these helicopters have violated the state border of Ukraine.

On February 28, eight Ilyushin IL-76 military transport aircraft of the Russian Armed Forces landed at the “Gvardeyskoye” airfield. The Russian side failed to apply for permission of the entry of these aircraft. When Ukrainian border officials arrived at the landing site, the garrison commander of the “Gvardeskoye” airfield denied them to perform border control procedures and stated that the services of the State border guard service of Ukraine were not required, and that further aircraft would land in 15 minute intervals.

On March 1, the Council of the Russian Federation unanimously adopted a proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the deployment of Russian troops within the territory of Ukraine.

On March 1, at 21.10 h Moscow time, Sevastopol port was entered by two large landing crafts “Kaliningrad” and “Minsk” of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Federation.

On March 2, Sevastopol port was entered by the large landing crafts “Olenigorsky Miner” of the Northern Fleet and “Geogry Pobedonosets” of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Federation.

The entry of these warships constituted a violation of Article 30 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and of §§ 14 and 15 of the “Rules #529 for the movement and sojourn of foreign warships in the waters, waterways and ports of Ukraine” as adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on May 16, 1996, and these ships did not obtain the required permission of the administration of the State border guard service of Ukraine.

Source: Dmitry Dymchuk, Ukrainian reserve officer