The concentration of Russian troops in Crimea and statements by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on the deployment of a proper military grouping in the Crimean direction are destabilizing the situation in the whole Black Sea region, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has said.
The statement of Foreign Ministry of Ukraine comes as Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced Russia’s plans to increase its military presence in Crimea because of the crisis in Ukraine.
"Having created on a part of Ukraine's sovereign territory a 'gray zone,' which de facto is not covered by current multilateral agreements in the field of arms control, the Russian Federation continues to increase its military presence in Crimea and create there a military grouping with unclear objectives. The reasons for such military preparations declared by the Russian minister - the increased foreign military presence near the Russian border and the worsening situation in Ukraine - are beneath criticism," – Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
"We urge the Russian Federation to stop provocative actions that threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and peace in the region,"- summed up in the statement.