Working party to assess damage from "annexation" of Crimea by Ukraine created in Russian State Duma

Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin has announced the creation of a special working party in the lower house, which will assess the "damage" from Ukraine’s actions on the Crimean peninsula's economy. He said this at a meeting of the State Duma on Wednesday, - Interfax-Ukraine reports.

"We are creating a working party headed by Ivan Melnikov (first deputy speaker of the Duma - ed.) No objections? It is so decided", - V.Volodin said.

"As for the analysis of the harm and damage done to the Crimea and Sevastopol for 23 years of annexation of the Crimea and Sevastopol by Ukraine, we will discuss this issue today at the Council of the State Duma, and we will proceed to take concrete decisions, within which we will try to go to the final document with the involvement of economists, scientists, Academy of Sciences, with the participation of representatives of the regions, studying the situation in the Crimea and Sevastopol", - V.Volodin said.

As previously reported, on March 15, Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin stated that the Ukrainian authorities should compensate Russia for the damage allegedly inflicted on Crimea during the stay of the peninsula as part of independent Ukraine. The Russian politician called the presence of the Crimea as a part of Ukraine, recognized by the whole world community, as a "de facto annexation". He stated that "Ukraine has done a very and very dishonorable situation with the Crimea", allegedly violating the rights of citizens to speak their native language and receive education in their native language. Furtherore, in his opinion, Ukraine "destroyed the economy of the Crimea and Sevastopol". Volodin stated that the Russian Federation would oblige Ukraine to "compensate for what the Crimea lost in those 25 years" through "European structures".

On March 16, 2014, a "referendum" on the status of the peninsula unrecognized by the world was held on the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol under the total control of the Russian military. According to its "results", Russia, in violation of international law and its own laws, "included" Crimea into the Russian Federation.

International organizations recognized the occupation and annexation of Crimea as illegal and condemned Russia's actions. Western countries imposed economic sanctions. Russia denies the annexation of the peninsula and calls it "restoration of historical justice". The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine officially announced February 20, 2014 the date of beginning of the temporary occupation of the Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia.