Maritime ceasefire requires end to port infrastructure shelling – Ukraine's Navy spokesperson
Photo: facebook.com / Taclbery
For Ukraine, achieving a maritime ceasefire necessitates stopping Russian assaults on port infrastructure. However, the primary threats remain the Iskander-M missile systems and Shahed strike drones, both launched from land.
The spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, Dmytro Pletenchuk, reported this in an interview with Radio Liberty.
According to the press officer, it remains unclear whether they will fall under the terms of a maritime ceasefire.
As Pletenchuk explained, for Ukraine, this is primarily a halt to the shelling of ports.
"For us, a ceasefire at sea means a halt to shelling of Ukraine's port infrastructure. This is how we see it. Of course, it is not difficult to guess what Russia is putting into this, but in any case, we need to read the final document, and then we will be able to draw some conclusions," the spokesman emphasized.
The press officer reminded that Russia actively uses weapons that are not formally "naval" but deliver the main strikes on Ukraine:
- Iskander-M missiles;
- Shahed UAVs.
"If we consider the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system, launches originate from Crimea, meaning they are land-based. The Shahed drones are also launched from Cape Chauda in Crimea and Primorsko-Akhtarsk in Russia. Though they approach us from the sea, the question remains—do these constitute a maritime component? Similarly, missiles launched from aircraft over the Black Sea—do these fall under a sea ceasefire?" the Navy spokesman noted.
Kalibr cruise missiles, deployed on sea-based carriers, also pose a threat. However, since the beginning of the year, Russians have only used them thrice, with limited success.
Without clear answers to these questions, a "truce at sea" might merely be a formality, failing to address Ukraine's primary threats. These will likely be key topics during discussions among delegations from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia in Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, the Office of the President stated that a 30-day truce entails "complete silence." President Zelensky highlighted three main initiatives presented by the Ukrainian delegation to the United States:
- Silence in the sky: Cease attacks involving missiles, bombs, and drones.
- Silence at sea: Enhance security in the Black Sea.
- Confidence-Building Measures: Release military and civilian prisoners of war and facilitate the return of children deported to Russia.
For reference:
On March 23, the Ukrainian and American delegations met in the capital of Saudi Arabia to consider proposals for the security of energy and infrastructure facilities.
According to Umierov, the conversation was "constructive and meaningful," and "key issues" were discussed, particularly in the energy sector. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also called the delegation's meeting "quite useful."
On March 24, in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, after US representatives met with Ukrainian representatives the day before, new negotiations were held between the American and Russian delegations.
The White House stated that during the negotiations, they would try to achieve a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea for free navigation and discuss the "line of control." In addition, it was noted that Washington is asking Moscow to return deported Ukrainian children as one of the "confidence-building" measures.
