The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the military aggression of the Russian Federation against Georgia unleashed on August 7, 2008, the illegal occupation of Georgia’s sovereign territories in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, as well as Russia’s occupation regime actions aimed at their actual annexation.

The ongoing «borderization» of the occupied territories of Georgia, the systematic detentions and abductions of Georgian citizens on the occupation line, the restrictions of their fundamental rights and freedoms, an extremely difficult humanitarian and security situation are the main «achievements» of the 12 years occupation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia, by the Russian Federation.

Ukraine consistently supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders as well as urges the Russian Federation to cease the military aggression against Georgia, withdraw Russian troops from Georgia’s occupied territories and provide unimpeded access to these territories for international human rights and monitoring organizations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls upon the international community to increase international pressure and strengthen the sanctions regime against the Russian Federation in order to force it to stop the aggression against Georgia and Ukraine as well as de-occupy their sovereign territories.