Moscow - The Sevastopol State Auto Inspectorate and Ukrainian security officers have resumed inspection of the auto transport vehicles, owned by the Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF), as of Tuesday, the BSF said in a press statement obtained by Interfax on Wednesday.
“Throughout the day all types of military auto transport were inspected, including paramedic vehicles, which carried BSF servicemen to the hospital,” the statement said.
During checks Sevastopol traffic inspectors, instead of telling to the drivers of the vehicles with BSF military number plates, which traffic rules were violated, would pass their documents to Ukrainian security officers, whose authority was not explained either, the statement said.
“These actions, which involved a citing of Article 15 clause 5 of the Agreement of the BSF status and terms of lease in Ukraine, were followed by Ukrainian security officers making reports about traffic violations by the BSF auto vehicles in the Ukrainian territory,” the statement said.
Similar actions were made by Ukrainians near Kerch in August 2009, the document recalled.
“The BSF Information and Public Relations Service have been authorized to state that the Russian BSF Command expresses its concern about what is happening. It is alarmed by the arbitrary interpretation by Ukrainian security officers of Article 15 clause 5 of the Agreement on the BSF status, whereby only military formations (naval formations) are required to agree their moves with Ukrainian security agencies. An isolated BSF auto vehicle, which moves in accordance with the road rules, does not fall under this article,” the press release said.
These regulations have been in effect since the BSF agreement was signed in 1997 and have not been reviewed by the parties, it said.
In view of the above, the BSF command sees these instances as disrespect for the status of the Russian BSF military units and an unfriendly step aimed at worsening the Russian-Ukrainian relations, the document said.
