1. Statement of the MFA of Ukraine in connection with another uncoordinated visit of the Russian delegation headed by Russian President V.Putin to the temporarily occupied Crimea on March 14, 2018.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expresses its protest over another uncoordinated with Ukraine visit of the Russian delegation headed by the Russian President V.Putin to the temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation territory of Ukraine – the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

Ukraine considers this visit, as well as other so-called “trips” of Russian officials to the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, a grave violation of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, cynical and demonstrative negation by the Russian side of the universally recognized norms of international law, obligations under bilateral and multilateral treaties, the parties to which are Ukraine and Russia, including the UN Charter, UN General Assembly resolutions “Territorial integrity of Ukraine” A/Res/68/262 of March 27, 2014, “Situation of human rights in Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol (Ukraine)” A/Res/71/205 of December 19, 2016,”Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol (Ukraine)” A/Res/72/190 of 19 December 2017.

The Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol are and shall remain an integral part of Ukraine within their internationally recognized borders. It is recognized by the whole civilized world, which has repeatedly given due assessment of the internationally wrongful acts of the Russian Federation by approving the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, other international organizations, and also by introducing broad restrictive measures (sanctions) against the occupying country.

2. Actual situation in the ATO area.

The Russia-backed militants made 63 precision attacks upon the Ukrainian troops’ positions.

Ukrainian troops returned fire 7 times.

The situation was the most anxious  near Katerynivka, Krymske, Luhanske, Troitske, Svitlodarsk, Novhorodske, Malynove,  Stanytsia Luhanska,  Schastia, Novozvanivka, Nololuhanske, Pavlopil, Pisky, Avdiivka, Bohdanivka, Vodiane, Maryinka, Shyrokyne, Novotroitske, Krasnohorivka,  Verhniotoretske, Pavlopil, Shakhta Butovka.

Unfortunately, 4 Ukrainian servicemen were killed and 9 were wounded.