On 22 December 2016, the arbitral tribunal was constituted upon a claim of Ukraine against  the Russian Federation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The arbitral tribunal will begin the hearing of the case Ukraine v. Russian Federation early 2017.

The fully-constituted tribunal consists of the following members:

Judge Jin-Hyun Paik of Korea (appointed as President of the Tribunal)

Judge Boualem Bouguetaia of Algeria

Judge Alonso Gomez-Robledo of Mexico

Professor Vaughan Lowe of the U.K. (appointed by Ukraine)

Judge Vladimir Golitsyn of Russia (appointed by the Russian Federation).

The appointed members of the tribunal enjoy the reputation of fairness, competence and integrity. They are highly experienced in international maritime law.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses its gratitude to the Vice-President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea for rapid formation of the tribunal.

On September 14, 2016 Ukraine instituted arbitration proceedings against the Russian Federation under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (“UNCLOS”)

Ukraine announces and ready to present to the Arbitral Tribunal facts and evidences that Russia brutally violates its rights as the coastal state in maritime zones adjacent to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in the Black Sea, Sea of Azov, and the Kerch Strait.

Ukraine asks the arbitral tribunal to enforce its maritime rights by ordering the Russian Federation to cease its internationally wrongful actions in the relevant waters, to provide Ukraine with appropriate guarantees that it will respect Ukraine’s rights under UNCLOS, and to make full reparation to Ukraine for the injuries the Russian Federation has caused.