Since 2014, Ukraine has invariably qualified internationally wrongful acts of the Russian Federation in Crimea and Donbas as an act of aggression. We clearly and persistently prove, that such actions of the Russian Federation fall entirely under the definition of an act of aggression pursuant to paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (g) of Article 3 of the Annex to UN General Assembly Resolution 3314 (XXIX) «Definition of aggression», adopted 45 years ago.

This landmark consensus on the necessity of universal adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter was further advanced in 2018 by enactment of the Kampala amendments to the 1998 Rome Statute, according to which the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court was extended to the crime of aggression. 

The wide-range and systematic war crimes and crimes against humanity on the temporary occupied territories of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, and areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, has resulted from the international armed conflict initiated by the Russian Federation against Ukraine on February 20, 2014.

Russian armed aggression makes toll of casualties constantly growing. According to the international organizations` data, the total number of victims has reached over 40 thousand people, with over 14 thousand killed. 1.5 million have been internally displaced persons.

Ukraine will continue to make every effort on all international fora and to counter Russian attempts to legitimize the occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. It is our aim to halt flagrant violations by the Russian occupation administration in Crimea and in the areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

We are grateful to our partners for the clear and consolidated position on the unchanged status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol as an integral part of Ukraine, as well as on the necessity of peaceful resolution of the international armed conflict with respect to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.

We rely on further support by the international community in countering Russian armed aggression and holding Russia accountable under international law for the damage caused to Ukraine, Ukrainian citizens and legal entities.

We are convinced that common efforts to respond to the biggest challenge to peace, security and international legal order since the World War ІІ will allow to restore in the foreseeable future the territorial integrity of Ukraine and violated rights of its citizens.