The international arbitration, established through the mediation of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, began hearings on the merits as part from consideration of Ukraine's claim against Russia for alleged violation of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea
The Russian delegation, which rejects Kiev's claims, is headed by the special envoy of the Russian Foreign Ministry Gennady Kuzmin. The hearings will continue until October 5.
The tribunal will consider Kiev's claims regarding the Russian Federation's compliance with environmental standards during the construction of the Crimean bridge, the laying of underwater cables and pipelines, the bridge's impact on shipping and the safety of archaeological and historical sites off the coast of the peninsula.
Ukraine started a dispute with the Russian Federation on September 16, 2016. According to the Ukrainian side, Russia violates the sovereign rights of Ukraine to use the sea waters and the continental shelf in the sea areas adjacent to Crimea (i.e. in the Black and Azov sea, as well as the Kerch Strait), including rights to natural resources on the continental shelf. In this regard, Kiev demands that Moscow stop violating rights and compensate for the damage caused. The Russian side denies the accusations.