On 17 December 2018 the UN General Assembly has adopted the resolution entitled “Problem of the Militarization of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol, Ukraine, as well as Parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.”<\/p>\n
Resolution on militarization of Crimea as well as parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov was submitted by a group of 40 states headed by Ukraine. In introducing the resolution, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Sergiy Kyslytsya called on all the states to support the resolution and Russia to release 3 ships and 24 crewmembers, captured in the Black Sea.<\/p>\n
The Resolution stresses that \u201cthe presence of Russian troops in Crimea contrary to the national sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine and undermines the security and stability of neighboring countries and European region\u201d. Its grave concern is expressed over \u201cthe progressive militarization of Crimea by the Russian Federation as the occupying power\u201d.<\/p>\n
Its authors note \u201cthe dangerous increase in tensions\u201d and \u201cunjustified use of force by the Russian Federation against Ukraine\u201d in the Black Sea, particularly, the capture of three vessels of the naval forces of Ukraine on 25 November.<\/p>\n
The UN general Assembly called upon the Russian Federation \u201cto release the vessels and other crews and equipment unconditionally and without delay\u201d as well as to refrain from impeding the lawful exercise of navigational rights and freedoms in the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Straight. The document condemns \u201cthe Russian Federation\u2019s construction of the Kerch Straight Bridge between the Russian Federation and the temporarily occupied Crimea\u201d.<\/p>\n
The General Assembly \u201curges the Russian Federation, as the occupying Power to withdraw its military forces from Crimea and to end its temporarily occupation of Ukraine\u2019s territory without delay\u201d.<\/p>\n
A total of 66 states supported the document, 19 voted against it, and 72 abstained.<\/p>\n