Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed a strong protest against the visit of a delegation led by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which was temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Ukraine expresses a resolute protest against the visit of a delegation led by head of government of the Russian Federation, D. Medvedev, to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, temporarily occupied by Russia. The visit, which took place on July 28, has not been agreed with the Ukrainian side," the ministry said in a statement on July 28.
According to the ministry, it happened despite repeated warnings from Ukraine.
"The goal of the visit is cynical – to participate in the parade of the occupying fleet of Russia," the ministry said.
Ukraine's position on such visits remains unchanged: Russian officials' trips to the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, which includes Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, without the Ukrainian side's agreement are unacceptable.
"The Russian side's attempts to interpret such 'visits' to Ukraine as domestic travel are void and demonstrate that the Russian Federation openly ignores generally accepted principles and norms of international law, its obligations under bilateral and multilateral treaties," the ministry said.
Russia, as an occupying state, bears full responsibility in accordance with international law for the negative consequences of the temporary presence of the Russian occupying administrations on the Crimean peninsula for that territory, it added.
