Ukraine’s President Petro Poroshenko signed on February 20, the law “On the peculiarities of the state policy to ensure the state sovereignty of Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions”.
The signing of this document by the president during the meeting of the Military Cabinet was broadcast on Ukrainian TV channels.
As reported, on January 18, the Verkhovna Rada passed the bill “On the peculiarities of the state policy to ensure the state sovereignty of Ukraine in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions”, which recognizes the Russian Federation as an aggressor state”.
The document defines the territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, both the land territory and internal waters within certain districts and villages where Russia-backed separatists have established and are exercising the occupation authority and general control of Russia, as temporarily occupied. The internal sea waters and the territorial sea of Ukraine adjacent to the occupied land territory, as well as the airspace on it, are also recognized as occupied.
The temporary occupation by Russia of territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which are specified in paragraphs 1 to 3 of the first part of Article 1 of this law, is illegitimate and does not create for the Russian Federation any territorial rights, the bill says.
