Russia’s EU Envoy Says Kiev’s Legal Threats Over Crimea ‘Futile’

MOSCOW, May 27 (RIA Novosti) – Russian Ambassador to the European Union Vladimir Chizhov has said Kiev’s threats to file a lawsuit against Moscow over its reunification with Crimea were pointless.

“There have been nothing but threats of a legal action coming from Kiev, but no lawsuit has been filed so far. They might even realize the futility of this action at some point while preparing this case,” Chizhov said during a visit to Rossiya Segodnya International News Agency.

Last month, the Ukrainian justice minister said Kiev had filed its first lawsuits against Russia in international courts, including in the European Court for Human Rights.

Earlier that month, the Ukrainian parliament also approved a law declaring Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, which became Russia’s newest regions after a referendum, as “temporarily occupied territories.”

Under the new bill, Russia is seen as an “invader” and should bear responsibility for the violation of rights of Ukrainian citizens in Crimea.

Ukrainian lawmakers also alleged that Moscow had to pay compensation for all material damage caused by Crimean reunification with Russia.

Following a regime change in Ukraine, the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol refused to recognize the legitimacy of the current Kiev authorities and moved to rejoin Russia after the acting Ukrainian government introduced measures aimed against ethnic Russians.

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