Georgian leaders condemn Russia-backed attack in Eastern Ukraine
Georgia condemns Russia’s “temporary occupation and annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol” and the attempts “to forcefully change the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine”.Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda/ge
Tweet 
Share
Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani joined other world leaders in condemning the recent attacks by the Russia-backed forces in Eastern Ukraine.
The return of intense hostilities in Eastern Ukraine is a violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and national sovereignty. I am concerned by this step backward, deplore this tragic development and share the emotion of the Ukrainian people.
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) February 18, 2020
Reportedly, Russia-backed forces attacked the positions of Ukrainian Joint Forces near Zolote, a front-line village in the Luhansk region of Donbas earlier today.
However, BBC reported that the Russia-backed rebels said that the Ukrainian forces attempted to break through their lines and got caught in a minefield, with two killed and three wounded.
Deeply concerned over reports of Russian-backed attack on Ukrainian strongholds near #Zolote today. Military escalation undermine efforts towards peaceful settlement and ruin any progress in this process @MFA_Ukraine @VPrystaiko
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) February 18, 2020
Ukrainian Ambassador to the Euroepean Union Mykola Tochytskyi has informed the EU about the new Russian attack in Donbas.
Yet another Russia’s cynical attack in Donbas. Today RU forces and its proxies launched an offence and heavy shellings of UA positions w/ weapons banned by Minsk agr.
— Mykola Tochytskyi (@tochytskyi) February 18, 2020
1 UA military killed, 4 wounded.
We informed EU ab/ Russia's escalation and urged partners to react resolutely. pic.twitter.com/V4jPPd0Soj
Estonian, Lithuanian and Latvian officials have also shared their concern.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned the Russian occupation of Georgia in his speech at the Munich Security Conference yesterday. "Russia has seized Crimea and parts of Eastern Ukraine and Georgia", Pompeo stated.
Foreign Ministers of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova, David Zalkaliani, Vadym Prystaiko and Aureliu Ciocoi, have addressed the European Commission over the importance of “relevant financial support” for the Eastern Partnership in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027.
Georgia reaffirms “strong and unequivocal support” for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, and condemns “the illegal referendum” conducted in Crimea five years ago.
Georgia and Ukraine have agreed to make it possible for their citizens to travel between the two countries without a passport, only with a national ID card starting from March 1. 2019, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has reported.
The foreign ministers of Georgia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have commemorated and condemned the ‘criminal deportation’ of the Tatar people from Crimea by Soviet regime 76 years ago.
Georgia has rejoined extended EU sanctions first put in place in 2014 in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia.
During a telephone conversation with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has expressed concern over the situation on the Russia-Ukraine border and Crimea.
Explosions at ammo depots in Bulgaria between 2011-2020 are likely linked to attempts of Russian military intelligence to hinder export of ammunition from the country to Ukraine and Georgia, Bulgarian state prosecutors told a press briefing on Tuesday.