Kiev readies suit against Russia over strait navigation limits

MOSCOW, Aug 2 (PRIME) -- Ukraine is calculating losses of its commercial ports from limitations of navigation in the Kerch Strait due to Russia’s construction of a bridge to Crimea, and preparing a suit on the matter, Ukraine’s Infrastructure Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday citing Minister Yury Lavrenyuk.

“The Justice Ministry separates the problem of blockade of the Kerch Strait and introduction of restrictions on ship navigation in the framework of legal suits against Russia. We are now preparing a suit and are calculating shortfalls in received funds of the Mariupol and Berdiansk commercial ports,” the ministry cited Lavrenyuk as saying.

Previously, Russian Transport Minister Maxim Sokolov said that transportation and construction of the largest parts of the bridge to Crimea will be done with the minimum possible restriction of navigation, and a one-time suspension of ship traffic will not exceed three days.

First cars are expected to travel through the 19-kilometer bridge that connects Crimea to the Krasnodar Region of Russia in December 2018.

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