Ukraine enters into new Letters of Agreement on air traffic services co-operation with the States of the Black Sea Region

Ukraine and the States of the Black Sea Region concluded new Letters of Agreement (LoA) regarding co-ordination procedures to be used between the Area Control Centres when providing air traffic services. According to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention) and ICAO international standards and procedures these LoAs shall be made between ATS units of all adjacent States and provide legal basis for the co-operation between the Air Navigation Service Providers. Such close co-ordination is the demand of the international aviation community, as far as it is necessary for ensuring the proper level of air traffic safety.

Reasonable need in renewal of the LoAs, initiated by Ukraine, is conditioned by the delegation of air traffic control in Simferopol FIR to Dnipropetrovsk and Odessa ATM Centres in consequence of the Russian occupation of ATC Centre, Aerodrome Control Tower and other air navigation facilities of UkSATSE in Crimea. Previously the relevant Agreements with adjacent Centres of neighbouring States involved Simferopol ATC Centre, though after the annexation of Crimea to the Russian Federation UkSATSE ceased providing ATS from this Centre. Now the signatories of new Letters of Agreement are Dnipropetrovsk and Odessa ATM Centres.

The States that signed these new LoAs confirmed without delays the previously reached agreements with Ukraine pursuant to the FIRs boundaries, committed in the ICAO European Regional Air Navigation Plan (Doc.7754), and ICAO Council Decision dated February 17, 1997 concerning the right of Ukraine to provide air navigation services within the limits of Simferopol FIR pertaining to Ukraine.

The Russian Federation remains the only exception among the States ofthe Black Sea Region. It straightly and unreasonably sabotages the process of signing the LoA with Ukraine and is obstinately blind to reasons for the renewal of agreements, made between the two States earlier. UkSATSE continues the negotiation process with the Russian ANSP and strongly recommends the Aviation Authorities of the Russian Federation to apply common sense and rules of international law when dealing with the subjects on air navigation safety.

It should be recalled that UkSATSE successfully continues providing air traffic services in Simferopol FIR despite the “war of NOTAMs” and “war on radio waves”, arranged by the Russian ANSP, as well as ineffective attempts to discredit UkSATSE and the Ukrainian Air Navigation System before the international aviation community.