Overview

• Ukraine has initiated arbitration proceedings against Russia at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, accusing it of violating the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
• Ukraine's representative, Anton Korynevych, claims that Russia built the Kerch Bridge to restrict international shipping and facilitate its military operations in Crimea.
• The Kerch Bridge, which connects mainland Russia to annexed Crimea, is said to impede the passage of large international vessels, affecting global trade.
• Russia denies the allegations, arguing that the arbitration court lacks jurisdiction and that the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait are internal waters not covered by the UN Convention.
• The hearings, which began on September 23 and will continue until October 5, are part of a broader series of international legal disputes between Ukraine and Russia following the annexation of Crimea and the 2022 invasion.