Russia Merges Crimea into S. Region

Local Editor

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree merging the Crimean Peninsula, which separated from Ukraine and rejoined Russia two years ago, into the mainland's southern region.

"Reorganize the Southern Federal District and the Crimean Federal District into the Southern Federal District," read the decree published on the Kremlin's website on Thursday.

Putin also appointed Vladimir Vasilyavich Ustinov as the presidential commissioner to the Southern Federal District in the decree.

He further submitted corresponding legislation amendments to the State Duma.

The decree angered Ukraine, with its UN Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko rejecting the order as "null and void as any other decision taken by Crimea so far."

He asked the UN Security Council to issue a statement in response to Putin's decree.

The ambassador circulated a draft statement calling on the 15-member council, to express its "deep concern" over Putin's decision and to assert its "full respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine."

Crimea declared independence from Ukraine on March 17, 2014 and formally applied to become part of Russia following a referendum a day earlier.

Moscow defends Crimea's reunification with Russia as legitimate, saying more than 90 percent of the people in the Black Sea peninsula voted in favor of rejoining the country in the 2014 vote.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team