Russia's maritime borders - - moved the border unilaterally

Briefly

Russia has decided unilaterally to change its maritime borders with Finland and Lithuania, according to a draft government decision found by The Moscow Times.

The changes apply to the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea, and are based on adjustments to the baselines.

The Finnish and Lithuanian authorities did not comment on the case.

Russia decided unilaterally to change the country's maritime borders with neighboring countries Finland and Lithuania, according to a draft government decision reported by the Independent newspaper. Moscow Times Found on the public portal. But on Tuesday evening, the link led to nothing.

The authors of the document explained that “the state borders of the Russian Federation at sea will change due to the change in the position of the external borders of the territorial sea.”

He is 40 years old

Russia lies on the maritime border between the two countries, respectively in the Gulf of Finland outside Saint Petersburg and out in the Baltic Sea outside the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and the Lithuanian coast.

'Border City': The waters outside the Russian coastal resort of Zelenogradsk in Kaliningrad are among the maritime areas that Russian authorities say are ready for border adjustments. Photo: Alexander Zemlyachenko/AP/NTB
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The border was established by a 1985 decision of the then USSR Council of Ministers (level below the Police Bureau). It is now proposed that this should be partly “recognized as ineffective”.

according to United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 A country's maritime zone extends up to 12 nautical miles (22,224 metres) from the so-called basics (The official demarcation of the state towards the sea), which is drawn according to fixed standards. In cases where the coastline is very uneven, the State can, in accordance with international law, draw so-called straight baselines.

According to the Russian document, prepared by the Ministry of Defense, Russia intends to declare part of the water area east of the Gulf of Finland, as well as near the coastal cities of Baltijsk and Zelenogradsk in Kaliningrad, as its inland sea.

amendment

To achieve this, the Ministry will modify the coordinates of where the baselines go. The Moscow Times lists a number of places where this will happen in the maritime areas in question.

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The drafters believe that the 1985 boundaries “do not fully correspond to the current geographical situation”, as they were recorded, according to them, “using small-scale nautical charts”, which were again based on work from the mid-20th century. 20th century.

“This does not allow us to determine the outer limits of Russia’s internal waters,” the document says.

The announced modification will create a system of straight baselines in the southern part of the Russian Islands in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, as well as in the Baltic-Zelenogradsk region.

The Finnish and Lithuanian authorities have not commented on the border revision yet. The Moscow Times newspaper indicates that the decision coincides with the start of exercises with missiles capable of carrying tactical nuclear weapons, which Kinzal.