Dispute Concerning Coastal State Rights in the Black Sea, Sea of Azov, and Kerch Strait (Ukraine v. the Russian Federation)

On 16 September 2016, Ukraine served on the Russian Federation a Notification and Statement of Claim under Annex VII to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) referring to a dispute concerning coastal state rights in the Black Sea, Sea of Azov, and Kerch Strait. The Permanent Court of Arbitration acts as Registry in this arbitration.


Case information

Name(s) of Claimant(s) Ukraine (State)
Name(s) of Respondent(s) The Russian Federation (State)
Names of Parties -
Case number 2017-06
Administering institution Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
Case status Pending
Type of case Inter-state arbitration
Subject matter or economic sector Law of the sea
Procedural rules - Other -
Treaty or contract under which proceedings were commenced

Multilateral treaty
UNCLOS

Language of Proceeding English
Seat of Arbitration (by Country) -
Arbitrator(s), Conciliator(s), Other Neutral(s)

Judge Jin-Hyun Paik (Presiding arbitrator)

Judge Boualem Bouguetaia

Judge Alonso Gómez-Robledo

Professor Vaughan Lowe KC

Professor Alexander Vylegzhanin (as of 30 May 2023)

Judge Vladimir Golitsyn (until 26 March 2023)

Representatives of the Claimant(s)

Agent

 

H.E. Mr. Anton Korynevych, Ambassador-at-Large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (as of 17 March 2023) 

H.E. Mr. Yevhenii Yenin, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from 11 June 2020 until 17 March 2023) 

H.E. Ms. Olena Zerkal, Deputy Foreign Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (until 11 June 2020)

 

Co-Agent

Ms. Oksana Zolotaryova, Director, Department of International Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine (as of 17 March 2023)

H.E. Mr. Vsevolod Chentsov, Ambassador to the Netherlands (from 7 June 2019 until 17 March 2023)

 

Counsel

 

Ms. Marney L. Cheek, Covington & Burling LLP

Mr. Jonathan Gimblett, Covington & Burling LLP

Mr. David M. Zionts, Covington & Burling LLP

Mr. Nikhil V. Gore, Covington & Burling LLP

Professor Harold Hongju Koh (as of 30 January 2018)

Professor Alfred H.A. Soons (as of 30 January 2018)

Professor Jean-Marc Thouvenin (as of 30 January 2018)

 

Representatives of the Respondent(s)

Agents

H.E. Mr. Alexander Shulgin, Ambassador of the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of the Netherlands (as of 17 February 2023)

Mr. Gennady Kuzmin, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation at the United Nations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (as of 17 February 2023)

H.E. Mr. Dmitry Lobach, Ambassador-at-large, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from 10 October 2017 until 17 February 2023)

H.E. Mr. Roman A. Kolodkin, Director, Legal Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (until 28 September 2017)

 

Counsel

Dr. Bing Bing Jia (as of 30 May 2023)
Mr. Kirill Udovichenko, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (as of 30 May 2023)
Mr. Sergey Korolev, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (as of 30 May 2023)
Ms. Elena Burova, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (as of 30 May 2023)
Ms. Anastasia Taranova, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (as of 30 May 2023)
Mr. Anatoly Balan, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (as of 30 May 2023)
Ms. Anna Kostina, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (as of 30 May 2023)
Mr. Mikhail Abramov, Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners (as of 30 May 2023) 

 

Professor Alain Pellet (until 17 March 2022)

Professor Tullio Treves, Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP (until 17 March 2022)

Mr. Sergey Usoskin (until 17 March 2022)

Mr. Samuel Wordsworth, QC, Essex Court Chambers (until 17 March 2022)

Mr. Vasily Torkanovsky, Ivanyan & Partners (until 30 September 2022)

Mr. Andrey Gorlenko, Ivanyan & Partners (from 25 November 2021 until 30 September 2022)

Ms. Elena Burova, Ivanyan & Partners (from 25 November 2021 until 30 September 2022)

Ms. Maria Suchkova, Ivanyan & Partners (until 18 January 2018)

Ms. Sofia Sarenkova, Ivanyan & Partners (until 25 November 2021)

Ms. Amy Sander, Essex Court Chambers (until 17 March 2022)

Mr. Renato Raymundo Treves, Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP (until 17 March 2022)

 

Advisers

 

Ms. Tessa Barsac (until 17 March 2022)

Ms. Ksenia Galkina (as of 13 September 2018)

Ms. Svetlana Shatalova (until 25 November 2021)

Representatives of the Parties
Number of Arbitrators in case 5
Date of commencement of proceeding 16 September 2016
Date of issue of final award -
Length of Proceedings Pending
Additional notes -

Documents

Written submission
Russian Federation - Preliminary Objections - Exhibits
Russian Federation - Preliminary Objections - Legal Authorities
Ukraine - Observations on Jurisdiction - Exhibits
Ukraine - Observations on Jurisdiction - Legal Authorities
Russian Federation - Reply Memorial - Exhibits
Russian Federation - Reply Memorial - Legal Authorities
Ukraine - Rejoinder Memorial - Exhibits
Ukraine - Rejoinder Memorial - Legal Authorities
Russian Federation - Hearing on Preliminary Objections - Additional Legal Authorities and Exhibits
Ukraine - Hearing on Preliminary Objections - Additional Legal Authorities
Preliminary Objections of the Russian Federation
Written Observations and Submissions of Ukraine on Jurisdiction
Reply of the Russian Federation to the Written Observations and Submissions of Ukraine on Jurisdiction
Rejoinder of Ukraine on Jurisdiction
Procedural Documents
Procedural Order No. 11
Rules of Procedure
Procedural Order No. 2
Procedural Order No. 3
Procedural Order No. 4
Procedural Order No. 5
Procedural Order No. 6
Procedural Order No. 7
Procedural Order No. 8
Procedural Order No. 9
Procedural Order No. 10
Award or other decision
Award on Preliminary Objections
Press Release
Press Release - First Procedural Meeting
Press Release - Bifurcation
Communiqué de presse - Bifurcation
Press Release - Hearing
Communiqué de presse - Audience
Press Release - Accreditation Procedure
Communiqué de presse - Procédure d'accréditation
Press release - Commencement of the hearing
Communiqué de presse - Début de l'audience
Press release - Award
Communiqué de presse - Sentence
Press Release - Publication of Award
Communiqué de presse - Publication de la sentence
Image
Arbitral Tribunal
Tribunal with staff members of the PCA
Hearing participants
Hearing participants
Tribunal in session
Tribunal in session
Hearing in session
Hearing in session
Tribunal during Hearing on Preliminary Objections
H.E. Ms. Olena Zerkal, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine
H.E. Mr. Dmitry Lobach, Ambassador-at-large of the Russian Federation
Delegation of Ukraine
Delegation of the Russian Federation
Hearing Room for Preliminary Objections
Tribunal with Registrar
Tribunal in Session
Tribunal in Session - 2
H.E. Ms. Olena Zerkal, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine
H.E. Ms. Zerkal & H.E. Mr. Chentsov
Mr. Pellet & H.E. Mr. Lobach
Video
Introductions of the Parties and Opening Statement of H.E. Mr. Dmitry Lobach, Agent for the Russian Federation
Opening Statement of H.E. Ms. Olena Zerkal, Agent for Ukraine
Transcript/Minutes
Opening Statement of the Russian Federation Transcript
Opening Statement of Ukraine Transcript