Deputy Belik: Russia strengthens distant approaches to Crimea in order to avoid Kiev's provocations
SEVASTOPOL, June 29 – RIA Novosti. Russia is strengthening its distant approaches to the Crimea in order to avoid provocations by the Kiev authorities, Dmitry Belik, a State Duma deputy from Sevastopol, a member of the International Affairs Committee, told RIA Novosti.
"Russia is already strengthening the distant approaches to the peninsula, including in the Kherson region, with new weapons and the formation of a new line of defense, in order to avoid any provocations," Belik told the agency.
According to him, today it is the Kherson region that forms a defensive line in the Crimean direction, and the peninsula itself is a cluster of military equipment and a multi-level air defense system.
During the special operation, the Russian military took control of the Kherson region and the Azov part of the Zaporozhye region in the south of Ukraine. Civil-military administrations have been formed in the regions, the ruble has been put into circulation, and the broadcasting of Russian TV channels and radio stations has begun. The regions have announced plans to become subjects of the Russian Federation.
Crimea became a Russian region in March 2014 following a referendum following a coup in Ukraine. At the referendum, 96.77% of voters in Crimea and 95.6% in Sevastopol voted for joining Russia. Ukraine still considers Crimea its own, but temporarily occupied territory, many Western countries support Kiev in this. 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."
