U.S. Department of State: Buildup of Russian troops in Crimea runs contrary to its commitments under Minsk

Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State John Kirby said this at a daily press briefing in Washington on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"We’ve seen those comments and seen the reports of those comments.  If true, we believe that this would appear to run contrary to ongoing efforts to stop violence and to de-escalate the tensions in eastern Ukraine in line with Russia’s commitments under Minsk," he said.

Kirby once again called on Moscow to fulfill commitments under the Minsk agreements.

At the same time, he expressed concern over Russian troops’ buildup on the Crimean peninsula.

"Reports indicate that part of this buildup includes Russian troops in Crimea, and on that, our view is also consistent and well-known.  Crimea is and always will remain part of Ukraine," the representative of the U.S. Department of State said.

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