Dear Editor,

the article “Holidaymakers warned of rising in measles”, published in The Times on February 8, 2019, has a reference to a “civil war in Ukraine” which is nothing but not true.

Soon, on the 20th of February, it will be 5 years since the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine which resulted in the annexation of Crimea and a war in Donbas where Ukrainian soldiers fight 40 000 strong Russian army. This fact has been recognized by all Western democracies and international organizations, including the United Nations.

Since March 2014, the EU has progressively imposed individual and economic sanctions against Russia in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and the Russian aggression in Eastern Ukraine.

Thus, I request not to mislead the public and correct the article to respect the lives of at least 13 000 people, including 4000 Ukrainian millitary and 240 children, killed in the war with Russia.

Ambassador of Ukraine,

Natalia Galibarenko