MOSCOW, July 10. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia declares protest to Kiev over Ukrainian army’s shelling of Russia’s Gukovo checkpoint, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

“The actions of the Ukrainian side are a gross violation of the fundamental principles of international law. The Russian side lodges a strong protest to the Ukrainian side and demands that shellings of the Russian territory be stopped,” the ministry said in a statement.

“In case of repetition of such cases, the entire responsibility for their consequences will lie with the Kiev authorities,” the statement said.

On June 30, the Investigation Committee instituted criminal proceedings upon mortar shelling of the Gukovo checkpoint.