Ukraine responds after envoys from three African countries visit Russian-occupied Crimea
The temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the illegal visit to the temporarily occupied Crimea by the ambassadors of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in Russia, according to an official statement on the MFA of Ukraine website.
The ambassadors in Russia, Aristide Tapsoba of Burkina Faso, Seydou Kamissoko of the Republic of Mali, and Issa Abdou Sidikou of the Republic of Niger, visited the illegally annexed peninsula from September 18–20.
The foreign ministry emphasized that the African diplomats grossly violated international law, as well as Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In addition, the ambassadors violated several UN General Assembly resolutions, including No. 68/262, “Territorial Integrity of Ukraine,” which confirms non-recognition of any changes to the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
The MFA called such actions contrary to Ukrainian law, which clearly defines the procedure for entering the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.
The ministry noted that it considers this visit a blatant violation of international law and national legislation, not only by the individuals concerned but also by the regimes they represent.
“The actions of the ambassadors appear especially cynical against the backdrop of the efforts allegedly undertaken by the regimes of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to preserve and defend their own sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders,” the statement reads.
The MFA also noted that Russia continues to use certain foreign diplomats as paid extras for its propaganda purposes, attempting to create a false impression of international legitimization of Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories.
The ministry called on the ambassadors to realize that by their actions, they effectively participated in Russia’s campaign to legitimize colonial conquests, making the positions of these African diplomats particularly hypocritical.
The MFA concluded that Ukraine reserves the right to respond to any violations of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Situation in occupied Crimea
On September 14, Russia held the so-called single voting day, during which the occupiers conducted by-elections for the city councils of Sevastopol and Simferopol in Crimea, and also held elections for the governor of Sevastopol.
Official Kyiv refused to recognize the results of these elections on the peninsula, calling them illegal.
Earlier, former US President Donald Trump suggested that if President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were to renounce Crimea, the war in Ukraine would end immediately.
