The Sea of ​​\u200b\u200bAzov has become internal for Russia: what is the military significance

Will prevent the appearance of NATO bases

After the DPR, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions, which had access to the coast of the Sea of ​​Azov, became part of the Russian Federation, this sea becomes an inland sea of ​​the Russian Federation. Among other things, this solves many security issues in the region.

“The Sea of ​​Azov is now an inland sea of ​​Russia,” Rodion Miroshnik, LPR Ambassador to the Russian Federation, wrote on his Telegram channel.

On the coast of the Sea of ​​Azov, there is the port city of Mariupol (DPR), as well as the coastal port city of Berdyansk (Zaporozhye region). Part of the western coast of the Sea of ​​Azov is administratively part of the Kherson region.

In maritime law, the concept of “inland sea” means a sea that is under the full sovereignty of a state. The inland sea of ​​Russia is, for example, the White Sea.

The Sea of ​​Azov was under the sovereignty of the Russian Empire for a long time, and then – the USSR. Since 2003, according to the treaty, it was considered the inland waters of Russia and Ukraine. This meant, in particular, the unimpeded passage of military ships of both countries through the Kerch Strait.

After 2014, when Crimea became part of Russia and the Kerch Strait came under our control, Ukrainian warships were required to request permission to enter the Sea of ​​Azov from the Black Sea. Kyiv was against it. It was on this basis that the border armed conflict took place on November 25, 2018 in the Kerch Strait. Then the ships of the Russian Navy and the Border Guard Service of the FSB detained the ships of the Navy, trying to pass from Odessa to Mariupol through the Kerch Strait. Ukrainian ships and crews were detained.

Now such incidents are excluded. All foreign ships will be able to enter the Sea of ​​Azov only with the permission of the relevant authorities of the Russian Federation.

Having lost the free passage of military ships through the Kerch Strait after 2014, Ukraine has not abandoned the military development of the Sea of ​​Azov, including with the help of partners from NATO. Thus, the issue of creating, with the help of Great Britain, a military base in the port of Berdyansk (Zaporozhye region) was discussed. By land, several combat boats were delivered there, which were based in Berdyansk and potentially threatened to attack the Crimean bridge. This threat has also been eliminated.

Another plus of inland sea status relates to economic benefits. It concerns the possibility of hydrocarbon production on the shelf of the Sea of ​​Azov, as well as fishing. Ukraine and Russia for a long time could not resolve legal issues related to the division of the Sea of ​​Azov. Now there is no such obstacle.