Published 15:03 IST, February 22nd 2024

Russia scraps 1956 Anglo-Soviet Fishing Agreement: Explained

The Cold War-era agreement allowed British vessels access to the fishing grounds of the Barents Sea, the coast of the Kola Peninsula, and Kolguyev Island.

Reported by: Sankunni K
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Russia fisheries agreement withdrawal | Image: Russian President Vladmir Putin, UK PM Rishi Sunak
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Russia fisheries agreement withdrawal: Russia has anunced its withdrawal from 1956 Anglo-Russian Fisheries Agreement, forged by Britain and former Soviet Union premier Nikita Khrushchev. This move underscores widening gulf between Russia and West amid escalating geopolitical tensions.

A Cold War relic

Anglo-Soviet Fishing Agreement, 1956 (Im: Cambridge)

1956 Anglo-Russian Fisheries Agreement, signed during a pivotal moment in Cold War, allowed British vessels access to rich fishing grounds of Barents Sea, coast of Kola Peninsula, and Kolguyev Island. It symbolised a brief period of thawing tensions between Moscow and London. However, as relations between Moscow and West have deteriorated, agreement has come under scrutiny.

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"When Nikita Khrushchev accepted this deal in 1956, it is difficult to say what guided him but it was definitely t national interest," Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of State Duma lower house of parliament, said in a statement.

" British need to study some proverbs: 'Russians harness horse slowly, but ride it fast'."

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Geopolitical fallout

Russia's decision to terminate Anglo-Russian Fisheries Agreement comes in wake of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which triggered severe backlash from Western powers. subsequent imposition of stringent sanctions by West furr strained relations, leading to Moscow's reassessment of its international agreements.

Ecomic and security concerns

ecomic consequences of agreement's termination are overshadowed by broader security concerns for Russia. Foreign vessels operating in Barents Sea raise suspicions of espion, posing a potential threat to Russian military interests in region.

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Volodin, a close ally of Putin, reiterated Kremlin's view on collapse of Soviet Union, considering it a trdy and blaming Mikhail Gorbachev for being tricked by a deceitful West intent on humiliating Russia. "With Gorbachev, we lost our country, and with Putin we got it back," Volodin said.

15:03 IST, February 22nd 2024