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Crimea and Sevastopol

Ukraine opens criminal cases against European politicians for their visits to Crimea

According to Ukraine's Foreign Minister, these cases were opened at the foreign ministry’s request on charges of violations of the procedure of "entry to the occupied territory"

Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Crimea Mikhail Metzel/TASS

Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Crimea

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

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Ukraine initiates criminal proceedings against Serbian politicians for visiting Crimea

KIEV, December 8. /TASS/. Criminal cases have been initiated in Ukraine against a number of European politicians who visited Crimea after its reunification with Russia.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said on Tuesday, summing up the results of the ministry’s activities in the outgoing year, these cases had been opened at the foreign ministry’s request on charges of violations of the procedure of "entry to the occupied territory."

In July, Ukraine’s Security Service imposed a three-year entry ban on ten French lawmakers after their visit to Crimea. In September, the Ukrainian foreign ministry condemned a Crimean trip by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Italy’s former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Later, the Ukrainian Security Service banned Berlusconi to enter Ukraine.

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Amid a political crisis and the change of power in Ukraine in February 2014, Crimea’s Supreme Council (parliament) and Sevastopol’s City Council adopted on March 11, 2014 Crimea’s and Sevastopol’s declaration of independence. A referendum on reunification with Russia was held on March 16, 2014. With a record-breaking turnout of 80%, the overwhelming majority of Crimea’s and Sevastopol residents, mostly ethic Russians, (96.7 and 95.6%, respectively) voted in favour of ceding from Ukraine to join Russia. After the treaty of Crimea’s and Sevastopol’s reunification with Russia was approved by the Russian parliament, President Vladimir Putin on March 21, 2014 signed a federal law on admitting two new constituent entities in the Russian Federation.

Despite the absolutely convincing results of the referendum, Ukraine, the United States and the European Union have been refusing to recognize Crimea as a part of Russia.

Following the referendum in Crimea and its subsequent reunification with Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a special decree outlining concrete measures on the rehabilitation of Crimea’s deported peoples.

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Crimea and Sevastopol Ukraine

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Ukrainian army strikes own surrendering soldiers — POW

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Russia to incorporate US nuke scenario in Poland in its military planning — diplomat

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London grants agrement to Zaluzhny as ambassador to UK — Ukrainian parliamentarian

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Armenians block highway to Georgia in protest of border delimitation with Baku

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North Korea stages first combined tactical drill simulating nuclear counterattack — KCNA

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Moldovan authorities try to present Gagauz as separatists — official

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Russia recovers black boxes from crashed Tu-22M3 bomber

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Russian peacekeepers heading for temporary deployment centers in Armenia

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Liberation of Novomikhailovka brings closer encirclement of Ugledar, says DPR official

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Duda's Kaliningrad nuke rhetoric political stunt — Russian senator

Alexander Shenderyuk-Zhidkov emphasized that Russia would decide for itself what was required to ensure the safety of its citizens

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Army officer some media point to as Nord Stream blasts coordinator goes missing in Ukraine

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Ukraine says Western systems ineffective against Russia's electronic warfare

Maria Berlinskaya emphasized that the real effectiveness was determined in real combat conditions, and not at "some training ground in Texas"

Armenia remains engaged with CSTO — head of post-Soviet security bloc

Imangali Tasmagambetov noted that "relations between the CSTO and Armenia, which is a member state of our organization, are far from being at their best"

Ukrainian troops fleeing Ocheretino in small groups, says DPR

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Top Hungarian diplomat warns US-NATO-EU competition in Ukraine could spark WWIII

"Preparations for a world war are intensifying in Brussels," Peter Szijjarto warned

Russia firmly ready for peace solution in Ukraine — Kremlin spokesman

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Press review: GOP tussles over Ukraine bill and Putin, Aliyev talk partnership

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, April 23rd

Russian troops liberate Novomikhailovka community in DPR — top brass

Russia’s Battlegroup West repulsed four Ukrainian army counterattacks over the past day, the Defense Ministry reported

Switzerland unblocks Russia-related assets worth 290 mln Swiss francs

The total amount of blocked assets of the Russian Federation decreased by 150 million Swiss francs (about $165 million) due to the fact that a number of individuals "were removed from the EU sanctions lists"

Assad says sure Russia will win conflict in Ukraine, re-unite brotherly peoples

Russia, in his words, is "correcting what others have done"

Ukrainian intelligence predicts dire situation from mid-May onward

Kirill Budanov acknowledged that the Ukrainian army had long experienced problems on the frontline

Value of frozen Russian assets in Switzerland drops to $6.36 bln over the year

The Swiss authorities pointed out that the value of assets of the Bank of Russia "may fluctuate in either direction, notably as a result of valuation changes on frozen securities, bank charges and exchange rate movements"

Almaz-Antey adapts air defense launchers for various missiles

Russian air defense launchers have a bigger range than US Patriot in Ukraine, Sergey Druzin said

Pobeda bloc expects global community to respond to struggle against opposition in Moldova

The opposition suggests that Moldovan President Maia Sandu is behind the law enforcement officers’ actions

US expert says more ATACMS won't alter battlefield dynamics in Ukraine

"There is no magic weapon, there is no series of weapons that could change this" situation for the Ukrainian armed forces, Scott Ritter said

Ukraine’s military intelligence chief recognizes Russia’s success in Avdeyevka

Ukrainian troops suffered significant losses in the fighting for the control of this town

Russia looking to open diplomatic missions in South Sudan, Niger, Sierra Leone — diplomat

According to Alexey Klimov, in 2023, almost 30,000 temporary entrance (return) permits were issued abroad and over 460,000 foreign passports were issued

Over 280 recovered from mass grave at hospital in Khan Yunis — TV

The operation to recover bodies of people killed in Israeli bombardments continues in the city

Russia invites all countries to develop North - South transport corridor — Putin

"The North-South transport corridor should become an example of the broadest international cooperation," the Russian leader said

Nicaragua, Russia sign declaration to counter illegal sanctions — vice president

The document "contains provisions on methods to counter, mitigate and compensate for the negative consequences of this aggression," Rosario Murillo said

Azerbaijanian leader says reaching peace with Armenia by November 'quite realistic'

According to Ilham Aliyev, the option of coordinating a basic agreement is also being considered

Chinese diplomat cautions US against 'demonizing' China-Russia relationship

The diplomat also called on Washington to "immediately stop imposing unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies and individuals"

Over 14,700 residential houses remain flooded in Russia

The source also said that 38,302 Russians have been evacuated from flooded areas and settlements potentially falling into these zones since the beginning of the spring floods

Ukraine 'not in a position to win' against Russia — Spanish reserve colonel

"The Western world cannot accept Ukraine's defeat, because from the point of view of our security, a Russian victory in the war would be a failure," Francisco Rubio pointed out

Most agents at Security Service of Ukraine set on war with Russia — former officer

Vasily Prozorov said that "it is extremely difficult to count on any better judgement on their part"

Lavrov slams West for promoting 'dishonest schemes' for restrictions on nuclear weapons

The top Russian diplomat stressed that "striving to attain decisive military superiority, Washington and its allies are enlarging the network of alliances directed against third countries"