EU: Russia violates international law by carrying out military conscription in occupied Crimea

“The Russian Federation is carrying out forced military conscription of residents in the illegally-annexed Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. This is part of continued efforts to undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, with further attempts to forcibly integrate the illegally-annexed Crimea and Sevastopol into Russia, and is a violation of international humanitarian law,” reads the statement by EU’s Spokesperson on the attempted conscription by Russia in Crimea.

As noted, the Russian Federation is bound by international law, and obliged to ensure the protection of human rights in the peninsula.

“The European Union does not and will not recognise the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and city of Sevastopol. The European Union continues to expect Russia to stop all violations of international law in the Crimean peninsula. As reiterated unequivocally by EU leaders most recently at the EU-Ukraine Summit on 6 October, the European Union is unwavering in its support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and has sanctioned those responsible for the continuing violations of international law,” the statement reads.

As a reminder, the European Union pursues a consistent policy of non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation and for several years in a row has been renewing sanctions imposed in 2014 on Russian officials over actions aimed at undermining Ukraine's independence and territorial integrity and on the entities located in the occupied Crimea.

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