Ukraine sends diplomatic note protesting Russian President's visit to Crimea

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the Presidium of the Russian State Council in the Crimean city of Yalta. (Source: AFP)

On the evening of August 17, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry handed over a diplomatic note to Russia, expressing strong opposition to President Vladimir Putin's visit to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea on the same day.

The ministry's announcement stated: "(Ukraine has handed over) a note of protest to the Russian Foreign Ministry demanding an explanation for the lack of respect for Ukrainian and international law by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and other Russian officials, and demanding (Moscow) to end such visits."

Earlier, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called Mr Putin's visit to Crimea "a challenge to the entire civilized world."

On August 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin made a working trip to Crimea to chair a meeting of the Presidium of the Russian State Council in the city of Yalta on tourism development.

According to the Kremlin press office, the main topics of discussion included measures to promote the development of domestic tourism as an indicator of the socio-economic development of the Russian regions in general and Crimea in particular. In addition, during the trip, Mr. Putin attended an informal meeting with representatives of ethnic groups in Crimea.

President Putin has visited Crimea twice since the peninsula was annexed by Russia in March 2014. In August 2014, the Russian leader held a meeting with the Russian Security Council in Sevastopol and met with members of the State Duma (lower house) in Yalta.

In May 2014, he attended the air and naval parade in Sevastopol./.

According to VN+