The so-called «Coordination Council of Russian compatriots of Cyprus», with the support of the Honorary Consulate of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Cyprus, announced the holding of a highly provocative public event on September 30, 2023 in the city of Limassol on the occasion of the so-called «reunification» of the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions with the RF.
It should be reminded that in September 2022 Russia held its propaganda show called «referendums» in the temporarily occupied territories of the Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. This was yet another Russian crime of its aggression against Ukraine. The called «referendums» severely violate the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, as well as norms of international law and Russia’s international obligations.
The mentioned propaganda show had nothing to do with expression of will and did not have any implications for Ukraine’s administrative-territorial system and internationally recognized borders. Ukraine and the international community strongly condemned actions of Russia and consider them null and worthless.
In its Statement dated 30 September 2022 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus has condemned the illegal annexation of parts of the Ukrainian territory by Russia. The Statement has clearly pointed out that «The recent sham “referenda” conducted in parts of the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine occupied by Russia, are illegal, void and contrary to fundamental principles of International Law».
The Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, like the Ukrainian Crimea, have been and will always remain the sovereign territories of Ukraine. Ukraine will liberate its temporarily occupied territories. And this process has been underway.
The above mentioned public event planned by the so called «Coordination Council of Russian compatriots of Cyprus» is considered as having exclusively provocative goals, aimed at inciting hatred among communities living in the Republic of Cyprus.
We are confident that the efforts of Russia and its ardent sympathizers will be curbed, and Moscow’s emissaries will not succeed in undermining European unity and solidarity in the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
We believe that the mentioned public event and possible permits issued for its holding should be canceled.