Russia is gradually turning international waters and territorial waters of other countries, in particular NATO countries, in the Black and Azov Seas into its own, and NATO should be more active in this region. Mark Voyger, senior expert on Russia in 2013-2018 at the NATO Joint Ground Forces Command in Izmir, Turkey, stated this on Apostroph TV..

" To prevent Russia from provoking incidents. The same mines that were thrown into the sea are a big threat to navigation.. I hope that NATO will intervene more actively in this region,"

According to him, if regarding the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, Russia has already practically implemented a plan to turn it into its own inland lake, then regarding the Black Sea, there is a clear awareness in the United States regarding the situation with the blocking of international waters, and the need to counteract this..

" They captured most of the coast (of the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, - ed.. But regarding the Black Sea, there are powerful voices in America. NATO needs to do more to counter this. Because everything that happens in the Black Sea does not stay in the Black Sea. These are international waters,"

He stressed that in addition to the purely military danger posed by Russia in this region, there are also serious geopolitical consequences..

" I think that in a few months there will be famine in the Arab countries and Africa as a result of this blockade,"

According to Voijer, today this problem rests on the position of Turkey..

" Here, NATO needs to work in its structures with Turkey so that it allows the presence of NATO ships in order to counteract Russia,"

Recall that in March 2022, the Russian military mined the sea routes from the Bosphorus to Odessa. Moreover, the mining took place where the recommended routes for commercial ships were laid..

Before that, Russia announced the blocking of navigation zones in the international waters of the Black and Azov Seas for military exercises, but de facto staged a naval blockade of the region.

As a result, Ukraine's waters in the Black and Azov Seas have been identified by policyholders as zones of military risks, terrorism and piracy.

As you know, as a result of the war in Ukraine, the European Union and the United States closed the sky for Russian aircraft..

In addition, the countries of the European Union are preparing to collectively close their ports to ships from Russia.. At the same time, until the official decision of the European Union, the largest container companies in the world have suspended accepting orders for the transportation of goods to Russia..

The UK has already taken the decision to deny entry to UK ports to all ships owned, operated, controlled, chartered, registered or flying the Russian flag..

Canada followed suit, saying it would close its ports to Russian-owned ships..