Ukraine's Foreign Ministry requests permission from Turkey to transport Russian S-300s across Bosphorus

This is stated in a message on the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's website. 

Deputy Minister Mykola Tochytskyi expressed to the Turkish Ambassador the concern of the Ukrainian side in connection with the available information regarding the transportation of S-300PMU-2 missile systems from Syria to Russia via the Bosphorus Strait by the Sparta II ship chartered by the Russian Ministry of Defense. 

According to the report, the Turkish Embassy was handed a verbal note of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the raised issue, and it was also emphasized that, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention on the Regime of the Straits of July 20, 1936, the specified ship falls under the definition of a warship for the purposes of this Convention.

Mykola Tochytskyi requested the Turkish side to provide official information regarding the cargo that was transported by the Sparta II ship through the Bosphorus Strait, as well as the measures taken by Turkey to implement the provisions of the Convention and prevent further escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The deputy minister expressed hope that the Turkish side will strictly adhere to its decision of February 28, 2022 to close the Black Sea straits to Russian warships during the Russian-Ukrainian war in line with the consistent position of the Republic of Turkey to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.