Zelensky declares Putin’s decrees on ‘independence’ of several Ukraine’s regions null and void

04.10.2022 16:35

Ukrinform

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky declared the decrees of the Russian president on the recognition of Crimea, so-called "LPR" and "DPR", Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions as "independent", as well as other decisions on the implementation of these decrees, null and void.

The corresponding decree No. 687/2022 of October 4 was published on the website of the Head of State, Ukrinform reports.

"To declare the decrees of the president of the Russian Federation No. 147 of March 17, 2014, No. 71 of February 21, 2022, No. 72 of February 21, 2022, No. 685 of September 29, 2022, No. 686 of September 29, 2022, as well as any other decisions, acts and agreements adopted, issued and concluded on the basis of and/or in connection with the implementation of the said decrees of the president of the Russian Federation, null and void, i.e. not having any legal consequences," the document reads.

The decree emphasizes that the territory of Ukraine is integral and inviolable within its internationally recognized state borders, Ukraine's sovereignty covers its entire territory.

The document also confirms the inalienable sovereign right of Ukraine to restore and preserve its territorial integrity within the internationally recognized state borders.

In addition, it is noted that the decision was adopted "in compliance with the generally recognized principles and norms of international law, in particular peremptory norms of general international law, as well as the current international treaties of Ukraine, including the Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on the Ukrainian-Russian state border dated January 28, 2003, which cannot be terminated even due to a fundamental change in circumstances in accordance with Article 62 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties."

As a reminder, Putin declared Crimea an "independent state" with a special status for Sevastopol in it by his decrees No. 147 of March 17, 2014; the so-called "DPR/LPR" were "recognized independent" by decrees No. 71 and No. 72 of February 21, 2022; decrees No. 685 and No. 686 of September 29, 2022 declared the "independence" of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine.

On September 30, the Kremlin held a ceremony of "admission" of the puppet entities "LPR" and "DPR", as well as the territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine captured by the Russian army after the sham referendum held on September 23-27.