Ukraine estimates losses from Crimea annexation at about US$36 bln so far

Ukrainian Deputy Prosecutor General Gunduz Mamedov says that the losses of Ukraine over the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation are estimated at UAH 1 trillion, which is about US$36 billion.

"According to preliminary estimates in materials of criminal proceedings, losses in Crimea alone amount to one trillion hryvnias," he told Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty's Ukrainian service.

Read alsoUkraine calls on int'l community to expand Russia sanctions over new polls in Crimea

According to him, this amount will be increasing as long as the occupation of the Ukrainian peninsula continues.

Russian annexation of Crimea

• Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in March 2014 after its troops had occupied the peninsula.
• A sham "referendum" was held for Crimeans to decide on accession to Russia. De-facto Crimean authorities reported that allegedly 96.77% of the Crimean population had voted for joining Russia.
• On March 18, 2014, the so-called agreement on the accession of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to Russia was signed in the Kremlin.
• The West did not recognize the annexation in response to which sanctions against Russia were introduced. Ukraine's parliament voted to designate February 20, 2014, as the official date when the temporary occupation of Crimea began.