Ukraine demands that Russia stop recruiting Crimeans to its army
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry protested the ongoing recruitment of Crimean residents to the Russian army. “Such actions are a blatant violation of the obligations according to the International Humanitarian law that prohibits Russia, as an occupying state, to force individuals to serve in its armed forces or reserve forces and to promote voluntary service in the army,” the Ministry’s statement reads.
The Ministry has also demanded that Russia stop persecuting Ukrainian citizens for unwillingness to serve in the Russian army and “to ensure unconditional implementation of its international commitments as an occupying state.”
Earlier, the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Ukrainian human right groups appealed to the International Criminal Court regarding the forceful conscription of Crimeans to the Armed Forces of Russia. The Prosecutor’s office has urged Crimeans to contact them by phone or email if they ever receive conscription summons to serve in the Russian army.
According to the Crimean Government, there are plans to recruit more than two thousand Crimeans into the Russian army in 2018.