Zakharova responded to Estonian threats to restrict Russian shipping in the Gulf of Finland

The statement has been posted on the department's website.

Zakharova explained that the establishment of the contiguous zone is a common practice of coastal states, however, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of ​​1982, "does not make it possible to control and even more so to prevent navigation."

“We presume that Estonia, despite its plans for the contiguous zone in the Gulf of Finland, will strictly follow the provisions of the said Convention,” she added.

Earlier, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, commenting on Estonia's threats to create a contiguous zone in the Gulf of Finland and thereby limit shipping for Russia, stressed the importance of international maritime law in this matter.

On January 23, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced that Russia was lowering the level of diplomatic relations to chargé d'affaires with Estonia.

This measure, as noted in the department, is a response to the radical reduction of the staff of the Russian embassy by Tallinn.