U.S. at OSCE: Russia sends troops to Crimea despite claims of withdrawal

Despite statements about the withdrawal of troops from Ukraine’s border, Russia recently transferred Air Assault units to Crimea, along with armored vehicles and artillery.

Acting Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission to the OSCE Elisabeth Rosenstock-Siller said this during an online meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, May 13, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

“As part of its broader efforts to destabilize Ukraine and to disrupt regional security, Russia has engaged in a multi-year military buildup in Crimea. Even as it announced the drawdown of its forces along its border with Ukraine, Russia recently transferred Air Assault elements to Crimea, along with T-72B3 battle tanks, 120mm mortars, 122mm howitzers, and armored vehicles, among other equipment and hardware," Rosenstock-Siller said.

The diplomat stressed that Russia continued to conscript thousands of young residents of Crimea into its military, some of whom had been transferred to Russian military units assigned to carry out the Kremlin’s agenda in Donbas.

In addition, Rosenstock-Siller called on Russia to cease its repression in Crimea and to release all Ukrainian political prisoners it holds. "We further call on Russia to end its militarization and occupation of Crimea and remove all its forces and hardware from eastern Ukraine," she said.

As Ukrinform reported, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk said that the number of Russian troops near Ukraine’s border has not significantly decreased; therefore, the issue of Russia fulfilling its obligations under the Vienna Document and providing explanations for unusual military activity remains relevant.

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