Ukrainian Navy Commander spoke for the first time to representatives of maritime states at the IMO headquarters — Zaluzhnyi
4.11.2026 - 16:04
Commander of the Ukrainian Navy Oleksiy Neizhpapa spoke at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London.
This was reported by the Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the IMO Valeriy Zaluzhnyi.
According to him, Oleksiy Neizhpapa spoke for the first time in history before representatives of the world’s leading maritime powers at the IMO headquarters.
During the meeting with the Secretary General of the organization Arsenio Dominguez, the Ukrainian delegation discussed the safety of shipping in the Black Sea, the protection of seafarers and the functioning of the Ukrainian Maritime Corridor.
Particular attention was paid to Russian attacks on civilian vessels and Ukrainian ports, which pose threats to international trade.
The Ukrainian side also raised the issue of the activities of the Russian “shadow fleet”. Zaluzhnyi stressed that such vessels threaten not only the safety of navigation, but also the marine environment.
According to him, it is necessary to strengthen control over the vessels of the “shadow fleet”, ensure transparency of information about their owners and registration, as well as compliance with international safety standards.
The ambassador also noted that Ukraine has significantly strengthened its positions in the IMO in recent years. At the same time, Russia failed to gain a seat on the organization’s Council for the second time in a row.
“The sea can only be made safe through joint actions,” Zaluzhnyi stressed.
It should be noted that the 138th session of the IMO Council is underway in London from November 2 to 6. Among the issues on the agenda is the protection of international sea routes, in particular, the safety of navigation in the Black and Azov Seas.
Earlier, USM reported that Ukraine and 34 other countries called on the IMO to strengthen the protection of navigation in the Black Sea.
