Declaration by the MFA of Ukraine in response to “accusations” regarding the shelling of the territory of the Russian Federation, July 13, 2014
In connection with the hasty and unfounded assertions by Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the supposed shelling by the Ukrainian army of territory in the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine officially declares that, according to data of the antiterrorist forces, the Ukrainian military did not conduct any shelling in the areas that are mentioned in the declaration by the foreign affairs press service of the Russian Federation.
Ukrainian soldiers have never fired, do not fire, and will not fire on the territory of a neighboring country and residential area.
We expect from the Russian authorities objectivity and impartiality in their assessment of the circumstances of this tragic incident in the city of Donetsk in the Rostov Oblast, and we are ready to cooperate in its investigation.
We express regret at the deaths and injuries of Russian citizens in Donetsk in the Rostov Oblast. Similarly, we would like for Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs finally to notice and express regret at the killings committed by armed groups of terrorists in Ukraine and to condemn the actions of the terrorists and force them to stop the violence.
The Russian side should focus its attention on fulfilling its obligations regarding the de-escalation of the situation in the eastern oblasts of Ukraine, and especially on ensuring proper border controls to prevent the penetration into Ukrainian territory from Russia of fighters, weapons, and military equipment.
In this context, we express our protest in connection with the attempted intrusion from Russian territory of military equipment and mercenaries near the Ukrainian settlement of Izvaryno, which took place during early morning on July 13.
We call on the Russian side to stop the provocations, to influence the terrorist armed groups to stop their violence, from which Russian citizens are suffering as well, to conduct a thorough investigation of the numerous violations of the Ukrainian-Russian border from the Russian side, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Translated by Anna Mostovych
