The Ukrainian side assesses the statements of Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov as a step aimed at heightening tension in the society, undermining neighbor relations and the strategic partnership between Ukraine and Russia.

This is said in the comments of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s press-service, forwarded to UNIAN.

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According to the information of the press-service, on 21 February, in Sevastopol, Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov allowed himself to publicly challenge the status of the Crimean peninsula, belonging to Ukraine.

The Foreign Ministry is particularly alarmed with the public statements of Yuri Luzhkov, calling on Ukrainian citizens to take part in political rallies, which is a direct interference into the internal affairs of the state.

According to the FM press-service, at present, when the Ukrainian-Russian relations, owing to joint efforts of the Ukrainian and Russian Presidents, are gradually getting rid of stereotypes of the past, the statements of the Russian regional official can be classified only as a planned action, aimed at undermining these positive shifts.

“Obviously, having no authority to speak on behalf of Russia, Mr.Luzhkov, at the same time, announced that as if this neighbor country is not going to fulfill its international obligations, recorded, in particular, in the basic agreements on the temporary stay of the Russian Black Sea Fleet at the Ukrainian territory”, the FM comments read.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry hopes that these actions of the mentioned-above official will get a relevant assessment of the Russian authorities, and the Ukrainian side will be informed of that.

In its turn, the Ukrainian side reserves to itself a right to apply measures on the basis of the current legislation, which stipulates adopting decisions in order to prevent creating prerequisites by foreign citizens for perpetrating illegal actions, connected with infringing the territorial integrity of Ukraine.