MOSCOW
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the termination of a number of Russian-Ukrainian agreements on Friday, including the 2010 agreement that gave Ukraine a discount on the price it pays for Russian gas in return for Russia's Black Sea Fleet's use of the Crimean port, Sevastopol, until 2042.
A statement on the Kremlin's official website said, "following the signing of the treaty between Russia and Crimea on March 18, 2014 on Crimea's accession to Russia and formation of two new regions within Russia, the essence of the Russian-Ukrainian agreements was lost due to the virtual cessation of legal relations of Russia renting facilities for its Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine."
The Russian Foreign ministry also sent a diplomatic note to Ukraine to notifying them of the termination of the contracts.
According to Article 61 and 62 of the Vienna convention on international treaties, Russia has the right to terminate the agreements regulating the status and conditions of Russian Black Sea Fleet staying in Ukraine.
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