On April 10, Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Andrey Kelin, warned London not to take "provocative" actions against ships in the English Channel.
Answering Vesti television channel, Mr. Kelin emphasized that any attempt to block or control ships could lead to "legal and political consequences". According to him, disputes related to international maritime can completely be brought to international jurisdiction.
The Ambassador mentioned the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), an agency based in Hamburg (Germany), which handles violations related to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (ULCLOS). "There is a full mechanism to prosecute legal liability" - the Russian diplomat affirmed.
However, Mr. Kelin also expressed skepticism about London's ability to actually deploy tough actions on the ground. According to his assessment, Britain currently does not have enough specialized ships to conduct sea interception operations on the necessary scale.
The Ambassador revealed that some "ship approach" options in the non-military direction - possibly even including landing - have also been considered. However, these scenarios are considered "very high risks", especially in sensitive environments such as the English Channel, one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
The Russian Ambassador's statement was made in the context that international sea transport routes are increasingly under pressure from geopolitical tensions. The English Channel, with its strategic location connecting the Atlantic and the North Sea, has long been considered a key point in the European maritime supply and security chain.
Observers believe that, although the possibility of large-scale interceptions is still low, diplomatic warnings like the above reflect the increasing sensitivity of key shipping routes in the context of escalating geopolitical competition.
