UKRAINE CRISIS: Russia Defends Actions In Crimea

by Benson Agoha

Russia has defended in recent actions in Crimea, siting mass celebrations in the peninsular as contrasting with Western views of its actions.

According to media reports, the defence was given by Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, during an address of the Upper House of parliament, saying those who call Crimea’s treaty with Russia “illegal” are insulting Crimean citizens and their right to decide their own fate.

While presenting the bills on Crimea and Sevastopol’s accession into the Russian Federation to Senators, Lavrov said “When foreign colleagues use the term “annexation” I suggest that they do one simple thing – tell their press-secretaries and press services to study the footage from Crimea in which the residents of this peninsula demonstrate their sincere joy in joining the Russian Federation,” Russia RT Newspaper reports today.

Continuing, the Foreign Minister said “This joy, this true happiness cannot be played, rehearsed or directed. When people are using terms like “annexation” in such a situation, I consider it an insult to the citizens, an insult to their right to make decisions concerning their own fate – the right that they had used in full measure.”

It comes as Russia's Federation Council voted on Friday to pass the bills on Crimea’s and Sevastopol’s accession into the Russian Federation, officially increasing the number of Russian regions by two.

But the Upper House committee did not just give the bill a blanket passage as the documents were studied for defense and security, and by the committee on international relations that found nothing contrary to Russian or international law, RT reported.

The federation treaty which was signed with leading Crimean and Sevastopol officials on Tuesday, was submitted to the Lower House by President Putin on Wednesday. It was passed by the Lower House by an almost unanimous vote on Thursday, with just one MP opposing.

The treaty has been provisionally in operation since the signing and includes a "transitional period until January 1, 2015 during which Crimea and Sevastopol must be integrated into Russia’s economic, finance, credit and legal systems as well as into the system of state administration."

"The treaty also provides that all residents of Crimea will automatically receive Russian citizenship. It also allows those who would prefer to keep their Ukrainian citizenship do so through notifying officials within one month of the treaty coming into force," according to the report.

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