Russia wants to conduct a video conference with Crimean residents at UN Security Council
First Deputy Permanent Representative of Russia to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy announced an informal video conference at the UN Security Council with residents of annexed Crimea on May 21.
"On Thursday, 21 May at 3 pm NYC time UN Security Council will for the first time hold informal VTC with participation of the residents of #Crimea. This will be a good opportunity to learn real facts about life in this Russian region," Polyanskiy wrote on Twitter.
The permanent mission of Ukraine to the UN told Krym.Realii that they are preparing an official comment on this issue.
The last time the topic of Crimea was raised in the UN Security Council was in March this year. There was a meeting on violation of human rights in Crimea. The event was organized by permanent missions of Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain and the United States to the UN in partnership with Ukraine's permanent mission to the UN.
Russia's annexation of Crimea will be constantly on the agenda of the UN Security Council, assured The Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN Sven Jürgenson - a state that has been representing Eastern Europe in the Security Council since January 1.
In February 2014, armed people in uniforms without insignias appeared in Crimea and captured the Supreme Council of Crimea, the Simferopol Airport, the Kerch ferry crossing and other strategic objects, and prevented the Ukrainian army from taking action. Initially, the Russian government refused to acknowledge that these armed people were Russian soldiers, but President Vladimir Putin later admitted it.
On 16 March 2014, a referendum on the status of Crimea was held in Crimea and Sevastopol, in which the inhabitants supposedly voted for the peninsula to become part of Russia. The outcome of the so-called referendum is not recognized by Ukraine, the EU or the US. On 18 March, Putin announced the “annexation” of Crimea to Russia.
International organizations have declared the annexation illegal and condemned Russia’s actions. Western countries have imposed economic sanctions on Russia in connection with the annexation. Russia claims to have “restored historical justice”. Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, declared 20 February 2014 the start of Russia’s temporary occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol.