Ukraine remains an object of military aggression of the Russian Federation, which it wages, among other means, through support and provision of large scale terrorist attacks.

As a result of military bombardments and activities of the terrorists sustained by Russia over 50 peaceful citizens of Ukraine died less than in a fortnight at Volnovakha, Donetsk and Mariupol.

OSCE special monitoring mission confirms that the shelling of Mariupol was done from the territory that was under the rebels control and the logic of the tragic events proves that it was a planned bloody provocation, aimed at intimidating peaceful residents. These tragic events confirm that Russia and the terrorists she sustains are not willing to conform with Minsk agreements that remain today the only internationally recognised basis for a peaceful settlement.

Since the beginning of aggression the Russian Federation has systematically violated norms of international law, human rights including the right to living of the peaceful citizens of Ukraine who became hostages of the terrorists in the occupied territory of Donbas. Cynicism of aggression by the Kremlin that includes active support of the terrorists at national level turns the killings of peaceful citizens in a day-to-day phenomenon. Russia’s complicity in such terrorist act as shooting down of the civil passenger plane MH17, tragedies in Volnovakha, Donetsk and Mariupol is obvious.

Despite harmonious diplomatic efforts in Geneva, Normandy and other formats Russia does not comply with its commitments regarding the observance of universally accepted provisions of international law and agreements that have already been reached. Thus the Crimea remains occupied and the demands of international community concerning the termination of aggression, supplies of arms, equipment and personnel have been ignored by Kremlin. Good intentions to leave the doors open to dialogue with the leadership of the Russian Federation only provoke new terrorist acts in Ukraine.

In conjunction with this and taking into consideration provisions of the Statute of the UN and Resolution of the UN General Assembly 3314 “Definition of Aggression” of 14 December 1974 the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine recognises the Russian Federation an aggressor state and calls on the international partners of Ukraine to:

• not allow impunity of those guilty of crimes against humanity, committed since the initiation of Russian aggression against Ukraine;
• recognise the Russian Federation an aggressor state comprehensively supporting terrorism and blocking the activity of the UN Security Council thus menacing international peace and security, and recognise so-called “DNR” and “LNR” as terrorist organisations;
• increase pressure on the Russian Federation including the introduction of new sectoral restrictive measures (sanctions) to stop Russian aggression and make Russian leadership implement in full all the provisions of Minsk agreements, terminate unlawful occupation of the Crimea, release all captives and illegally detained in the territory of the Russian Federation citizens of Ukraine, including the member of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Nadiya Savchenko;
• limit the powers of the Russian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe until the time when the Russian Federation stops ignoring the demands of international democratic community;
• provide needed military assistance to Ukraine in order to strengthen its combat capacities, humanitarian assistance for affected civilian population and internally displaced persons and sponsor the renovation of critically important infrastructure in Donbas.

We call on international community to acknowledge a fact of an aggression against Ukraine, of occupation of its territory and strengthen the demands to reverse to the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine, preventing the creation of a dangerous precedent in the form of an arrogant violation of the world order and security system shaped out in the aftermath of the World War II.