These actions of the Russian side do not correspond to obligations of the Russian Federation according to its bilateral and multilateral agreements that guarantee the territorial integrity, inviolability of borders and non-interference with the internal affairs of our state. 

The independence of this entity was proclaimed by an illegal body and based on the results of an anti-constitutional referendum, which was held in a clear non-compliance with the democratic standards set for conducting the referenda within the framework of OSCE and Council of Europe and constituting the integral part of the principles and values of these international organizations. By recognizing the self-proclaimed Republic of Crimea as a ‘sovereign and independent state’, the Russian Federation has gravely violated its commitments and obligations arising from the fact of its membership in these organizations.

This recognition by the Russian Federation of the self-proclaimed Republic of Crimea has the sole aim of creating the pseudo-legal basis for annexing this part of Ukraine’s territory followed by its further incorporation to the Russian Federation.

Nevertheless, the legal meaning of this act in the circumstances of the unprovoked armed aggression of Russia against Ukraine and Russian military occupation of the CrimeanPeninsula is void. Today’s international law does not recognize the forced incorporation of another state’s territory to be the legally justified way of its acquiring.

Ukraine and the rest of the civilized world shall never recognize the illegitimate self-proclaimed ‘independence’ of Crimea and it’s annexation by force.