The International Arbitration Tribunal in The Hague accepted for consideration the case of the seizure by Russian border guards of two Ukrainian military ships, along with the crew, in the Kerch Strait in 2018. The court rejected Russia's denial and confirmed that the case falls under its jurisdiction. The decision, adopted on June 27, was published on the website of the Hague Tribunal on July 11.

Ukraine filed a lawsuit in the court in The Hague, but Russia appealed its jurisdiction. Consequently, the court held that “the proceedings are essentially reopened and that the Russian Federation must file a counter-memorial not later than six months from the date of this decision”.

Now the tribunal will consider the case on the merits and Russia will have to explain its actions in the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov in November 2018.

Recall that then three ships of the Ukrainian Navy - small armored boats " However, when entering the strait, they met with the border ships of the Russian Federation, which at first, for far-fetched reasons, did not let them through the strait, and then did not let them go back, and in the end took them on a ram and captured them along with the crew.

Several Ukrainian sailors were injured, 24 Ukrainian servicemen were captured.

Six months later, the UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea issued a decision obliging Russia to release Ukrainian ships and captured Ukrainian sailors.. However, Russia ignored this decision..

Ukrainians were fired only on September 7, 2019 as part of an exchange between Ukraine and Russia in the 35 to 35 format. On November 18, 2019, in the Black Sea, the Russian Federation handed over to Ukraine the boats "