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government in Crimea was removed by force and replaced by Russian agents,” the ruling said. Also as of that night, all rulings issued by Crimean courts are illegal, the court said. “Starting from February 27, 2014, the courts that were active in Crimea can’t be considered to have been formed in a legal manner,” the ruling said.
In reaching its ruling, the human rights court took into account the statements of Russian President Putin in confirming the fact of his military having seized the peninsula, as reported by the Ukrinform news agency. Putin told the leaders of his law enforcement structures on the night of February 22 that he reached the decision “to begin the work of returning Crimea to the Russian Federation.”
His second statement came during a television appearance on April 17, 2014, in, which he said Russia “had armed military subunits and law enforcement bodies” and “Russian soldiers supported Crimea forces of self-defence.” He acknowledged that the unidentified men in green uniforms are Russian military personnel who were in Crimea “to protect” its population,” so that there aren’t tanks and military units of nationalists and people with extreme views and well-armed with automatic weapons. Of course that’s why our soldiers stood at the backs of the Crimean self defence. They acted very properly, decisively and professionally,” Putin said.
Zenon Zawada: This ruling is a key victory for Ukraine because it sets the legal foundation for all rulings to follow by this court and others. What’s particularly important is that the court established the date of Russian control, which preceded by about three weeks the referendum that was held, which Russia claims legitimized its annexation. Instead the referendum and its outcome is now recognized at the international level as being directed by Russia, and not an independent expression of will.
This ruling will also give Ukrainian lawyers the ability to unfreeze numerous other complaints filed with the court, which were on hold pending this fundamental ruling, authorities said. It will also serve as a legal foundation for the complaints being filed against Russia’s occupation of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
All the rulings in Ukraine’s favour will become practical when the Russian leadership decides, or is forced, to withdraw from Crimea. We don’t see that happening under the rule of Putin, who has successfully resisted Western sanctions and other pressure.
2.7​ ​US places Motor Sich shareholder on sanctions list
The Bureau of Industry and Security in the US Department of Commerce added Chinese company Skyrizon to its Military End-User sanctions list, according to its January 14 report.
Skyrizon’s “push to acquire and indigenize foreign military technologies pose a significant threat to US national security and foreign policy interests,” said the release, citing Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. The list, introduced in late 2020,” informs exporters, re-exporters, and transferors that a license will be required to export, re-export, or transfer designated items to listed entities," the press release stated. Skyrizon is the first company on the list.
14​ UKRAINE Country Report​ February 2021 ​ ​www.intellinews.com