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Russian military vehicles during a maneuver in the Crimea.
The Kremlin now wants to block certain sea areas near the peninsula
Photo: RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY HANDOUT / EPA
From this Saturday, Russia wants to block several sea areas in the Black Sea near the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, which was incorporated in 2014 in violation of international law.
Foreign warships and other state ships are no longer allowed to pass through these waters until October 31, but cargo ships can, the Ministry of Defense said in Moscow.
The area from the Crimean city of Sevastopol to Gurzuf is said to be affected.
However, shipping through the Kerch Strait, which connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Azov, should not be restricted.
The strait is considered an international body of water.
In November 2018, two Ukrainian military ships were prevented from attempting passage there by the Russian coast guard and 24 Ukrainian sailors were arrested.
They were not released until 2020.
Ukraine accuses the Kremlin of escalation
Criticism of the announced closures came from the EU, Ukraine and NATO.
The EU Commission spokesman for external relations, Peter Stano, called on Russia to stop the project.
Stano told the Russian state agency Tass on Friday that it was about "further violations of international law" and destabilizing the region.
In the West there is concern that the rights of passage enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea may be restricted and international shipping hindered.
NATO called on Russia to guarantee free access to Ukrainian ports in the Sea of Azov and freedom of navigation.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry accused Russia of "increased escalation at sea".
The government in Moscow said that the affected areas were located in Russian territorial waters.
However, Russia's claim to the territories is not recognized.
A reason for the closings was not initially given.
In the past few days, Russian soldiers had been holding maneuvers in Crimea.
Russian, but also Ukrainian troop marches had recently raised international concerns that the fighting in the conflict area of eastern Ukraine could escalate again.
On Friday, according to official information, Russia began withdrawing the troops that had also been transferred to Crimea.
Ukraine welcomed that.
For about seven years, parts of the eastern Ukrainian areas of Donetsk and Luhansk along the Russian border have been controlled by insurgents loyal to Moscow.
According to UN estimates, more than 13,000 people have been killed since the conflict broke out in 2014.
A peace plan agreed in 2015 is on hold.
clh / dpa