MOSCOW, June 11. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused Washington of destabilizing events both in Ukraine and other world regions.
In its commentary on the US State Department’s annual report outlining US and international compliance with arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament agreements and commitments, the ministry said:
"The United States was not slow to take advantage of the publication to accuse Russia of 'occupation' and 'attempted annexation' of Crimea, as well as 'provocations against Ukraine' in violation of its OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] commitments, including those under the 2011 Vienna Document [on confidence-and security-building measures].
"Putting the question in such a way is fundamentally wrong and turns everything upside down," the ministry’s commentary said.
"Crimea’s reunification with Russia was carried out in full accordance with international law and followed the free expression of will made by residents of the peninsula, where more than 96% spoke in favour of reuniting with Russia," it said.
"As for accusations against Russia of its alleged continuing provocations against Ukraine in general, there is no substance behind such statements and they only divert attention of the international community away from understanding the real causes for the Ukrainian crisis," the ministry said.
It was particularly strange to hear such allegations from "a state which, constantly declaring its commitment to maintaining and strengthening international peace and security, had a hand in destabilizing the situation, both in Ukraine and other regions".
"While making unfounded accusations, the United States, unlike Russia, not only fails to make any real efforts to resolve the crisis in Ukraine and prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in the [eastern] Luhansk and Donetsk regions, but in fact spurs the current authorities in Kiev to continue fratricidal civil conflict," the commentary said.