Gerashchenko: Kyiv wants to discuss presence of OSCE mission in Sea of Azov

Iryna Gerashchenko, the representative of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group, the First Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, said on the air of the Crimea.Realities project of the Radio Liberty.

Ukraine requires the presence of the OSCE special monitoring mission in the annexed Crimea as it has the right to work throughout the entire territory of Ukraine.

Gerashchenko expressed concern about the active militarization taking place on the peninsula.

“We are very concerned about the fact that Crimea remains closed for any monitoring mission, for the OSCE SMM and the Red Cross as their representatives are not allowed to visit the prisons in the occupied Crimea, and for the UN mission on prevention of torture, which is also not allowed to visit the prisons,” the First Vice Speaker added.

As reported, on November 25, Russian border ships committed the acts of aggression against three Ukrainian ships heading from the port of Odesa to the port of Mariupol. The Russian special forces fired on and seized three Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait and 24 sailors aboard.