Simferopol, July 12 (Interfax) - Acting head of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov has urged Ukrainians not to obey possible orders from Kyiv on using military force to reincorporate Crimea into Ukraine.
“We don’t want war. I am sure there will be none. I am calling on everyone to
calm down. The army is ready to rebuff any strike, but I don’t believe Ukraine
will undertake one,” Aksyonov told journalists on Saturday in commenting on
reports suggesting that Ukrainian troops and military hardware were
concentrating near the border with Crimea.
Aksyonov said in addressing Ukrainians: “The Crimeans are not your enemies
today, and it is stupid to obey criminal orders that go against the will of the
Crimeans who have made their choice.”
He insisted, however, that, in his view, common sense will prevail and
“nobody will fire a single shot” because of Crimea.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had warned recently that an attack on
Crimea or Sevastopol would prompt Russia to act accordingly.
“If the matter is about an attack on Russian territory, which the Republic of
Crimea and Sevastopol are part of, I wouldn’t advise anyone to do this. We have
a national defense doctrine, and it very clearly stipulates actions that will be
undertaken in this case,” Lavrov said at a press conference in Moscow on July
9.
