Ukraine condemns census in Crimea

"Such actions by the Russian Federation are directed against the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and are a continuation of efforts to legitimize the attempted annexation of the temporarily occupied Crimea, to extend the effect of Russian legislation to its territory. Conducting a census in the temporarily occupied territory is an unfriendly act against our state, and we reserve the right to use retaliation," the statement said.

It notes that in accordance with the provisions of UN General Assembly Resolution 68/262, a "referendum" in Crimea held by the Russian occupation administration on March 16, 2014 has no legal force and cannot serve as a basis for any change in the status of the Crimean peninsula. In particular, the "referendum" cannot serve as a basis for reflecting the results of the census in the occupied Crimea as part of the all-Russian census.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry recalled that Crimean Platform participants in their joint declaration reaffirmed the non-recognition of any change in the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, which are an integral part of Ukraine's territory. The participants of the Crimea Platform will resolutely oppose any unilateral attempts to change the international order based on the rule of law.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the basis for assessing the situation in Crimea can only be impartial and objective monitoring by international organizations with a respective mandate, carried out in accordance with Ukrainian law and international law, as well as human rights NGOs.

"Ukraine calls on the international community to condemn Russia's conduct of an all-Russian census in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, not to recognize or use its results," the statement reads.

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