Ukraine has called on the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) to order Russia to dismantle the bridge connecting the Russian mainland to Crimea, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014. The two nations are locked in a legal battle at the PCA in The Hague over access to the coastal waters surrounding Crimea.
Oksana Zolotaryova, Ukraine’s director of international law at the foreign ministry, argued that removing the Kerch Bridge is the only way to restore international shipping passage through the Kerch Strait, a strategically important waterway that Ukraine claims Russia has unlawfully obstructed with its construction.
“Dismantling the bridge is the only way to restore passage for the vessels of all countries who used the (Kerch) Strait in the past and the vessels that are anticipated to use the strait in the future,” Zolotaryova stated. She added that the bridge was built so low that it impedes international trade through the strait.
Russia’s representative, Gennady Kuzmin, dismissed Ukraine’s claims, asserting that the seas in dispute became internal waters following the annexation of Crimea, and thus international maritime laws do not apply. Kuzmin also argued that the bridge was built to alleviate what he termed a Ukrainian blockade of Crimea.
This case, which dates back to 2016, focuses on Kyiv’s assertion of its rights as a coastal state under international law. However, the court’s final decision could take months or even years to be reached, with Russia’s closing arguments expected on Saturday.