The website Ukraina.ru published a story claiming that Ukraine is anticipating increased tension on Serpents Island because of Romanian territorial claims.
Serpent Island is a 0.17 square kilometer (0.066 square mile) volcanic rock island situated in the Black Sea off the coasts of Romania and Ukraine.
The story describes defense exercises that Ukrainian border guards and Interior Ministry troops conducted on the island in anticipation of territorial claims on the part of Romania.
According the Ukrainian State Border Service, Ukraine did hold military exercises on Serpents Island focusing on defense of the country’s maritime borders.
The story’s headline claiming that Romania, Hungary and Poland have territorial issues with Ukraine is completely misleading and is based on another fake, Ukraina.ru’s claim that the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement provides for restitution of property and territory once held by Romania, Hungary and Poland.
The Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine does not deal with restitution issues at all, StopFake has written about fake restitution claims before, Restitution of property is possible only when both countries in question enact necessary laws determining the scope of the restitution.
None of the three countries mentioned in the fake stories have expressed any territorial claims on Ukraine.
