UN, Nov 6 - RIA Novosti. Russia's military activity in Crimea does not exceed its defensive needs, moreover, it works for stability in the region, Deputy head of the Russian delegation to the First Committee of the UN General Assembly Andrei Belousov told reporters.
He participated in meetings that took place in October-November at the Organization's headquarters in New York. According to Belousov, there Moscow was again "tried to accuse of aggression and occupation— - on the one hand Ukraine, on the other – Georgia.
"We were accused of excessive military activity in the Crimea and the adjacent waters of the Azov and Black Seas. It was said again that the military presence in Crimea and the waters of these two seas seriously undermines regional security, that is, European security, and that it even poses a threat to global security," the diplomat said.
The Russian side calls these accusations absolutely groundless.
Belousov stressed that Russia's military presence on the peninsula is legitimate.
"We have the right, like any other state, to conduct military activities on our territory that are necessary to protect our citizens and ensure the integrity of our state. In this activity, we are guided by the principle of defense sufficiency," the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
He added that the Defense Ministry "does not conduct any activity that would exceed" the need to ensure the protection of Russians.
Crimea became a Russian region after a referendum held there in March 2014, in which 96.77% of voters on the peninsula and 95.6% of residents of Sevastopol supported it. Ukraine still considers these territories its own and claims that they are occupied.
The Russian leadership has repeatedly stated that the residents of Crimea democratically, in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter, voted for reunification with Russia. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the issue of Crimea is "finally closed."
