Ukraine Slams African Diplomats’ Visit to Occupied Crimea, Warns of Sanctions
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned the unauthorized visit of ambassadors from Chad, Guinea, and Burundi to Russian-occupied Crimea, calling it a violation of international law and warning of possible sanctions, The Gaze reports.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Ukraine identified the diplomats as Joseph Nkurunziza (Burundi), Nyankoye Haba (Guinea), and Adam Beshir Mahamoud (Chad), all accredited in Russia.
Their trip to the Crimean peninsula, which is temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine, is “a blatant violation” of Ukraine’s sovereignty and UN General Assembly Resolution 68/262 on the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
“The Russian Federation continues to exploit foreign diplomats for propaganda purposes and tries to create a false impression of recognition of its illegal occupation,” the ministry said.
Kyiv has urged foreign governments to assess the conduct of their ambassadors, warning that such actions harm bilateral ties and damage their countries’ international reputations.
Ukraine also announced it would initiate the inclusion of the envoys in sanctions lists and take appropriate political and diplomatic steps in response.
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