Ukrainian diplomats have shared evidence of militarization by Russia of occupied Crimea and Russia's direct military aggression against Ukraine in the Kerch Strait.
The presentation took place as part of the 25th meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Milan, Italy, on December 6, 2018, the press service of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reported.
Ukraine organized a thematic event at the ministerial level, entitled: "The problem of the militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine) and parts of the Black and Azov Seas."
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The event was held with the assistance of delegations and with the participation of the heads of the foreign affairs ministries of the United States, Canada, Poland, Lithuania, Denmark, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Romania, Georgia, and Estonia.
"A wide audience of participants and the media were shown evidence of the militarization by Russia of occupied Crimea and the direct military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine in the Kerch Strait area, which poses a serious threat to the entire Black Sea region," it said.
"In their speeches, the partners expressed full support for Ukraine, called for the immediate release of Ukrainian prisoners of war, and also discussed possible steps towards deterring the aggressor," the ministry said.
The Ukrainian side says that the presentation was important in the context of consideration of a draft resolution entitled: "The problem of militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine) and parts of the Black and Azov Seas" at a UN General Assembly meeting on December 17, 2018.
