Kiev has announced its intention to convene a meeting of the 57 member signatories of the Vienna Document, including Russia, to discuss Moscow's alleged failure to respond to Kiev's request for information on its military activities, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
"Russia failed to respond to our request under the Vienna Document. Consequently, we take the next step. We request a meeting with Russia and all participating states within 48 hours to discuss its reinforcement & redeployment along our border & in temporarily occupied Crimea. If Russia is serious when it talks about the indivisibility of security in the OSCE space, it must fulfill its commitment to military transparency in order to de-escalate tensions and enhance security for all," Kuleba wrote on his Twitter account.
Kiev formally demanded details from Russia regarding its military activities near the border with Ukraine on Friday, citing the "reduction reduction mechanism" stipulated in the Vienna Document - a 2011 treaty signed by all 57 members of the Organization for Security Co-operation in Europe aimed at building confidence and security in the OSCE space. Kiev's request included demands that Russia provides data on areas where its troops are operating, the dates when they will be withdrawn (if applicable), as well as unit names, the formations they are subordinated to, types of weapons and military equipment involved, and other details.
Kuleba warned Friday that if Russia failed to provide this data, or provided information that was deemed insufficient or inadequate by Kiev, Ukraine would convene the emergency Vienna Document meeting to demand an explanation.
Shortly after Kiev made its request Friday, a Russian Foreign Ministry source told Sputnik that the demands were unreasonable, "since Russian military activity is not unusual and does not give grounds to launch the military danger reduction mechanism provided" by the Vienna Document.
The source said Moscow considers Kiev's request a "maneuver" aimed at distracting from "its own significant unusual military activities," as well as daily shelling of the breakaway Donbass republics. The Russian side would provide a response to the Ukrainian request soon, the source assured.
The call for the Vienna Document meeting comes amid claims by Western media Friday citing unnamed political and military officials that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a decision to invade Ukraine, and would be doing so as soon as this week. Moscow has dismissed the claims, accusing Washington of colluding with media to drum up war "hysteria," and denied having any plans to attack anyone.
Russia has repeatedly denied accusations that it intends to invade neighbouring Ukraine, a purported move that has grabbed headlines for several months.
ZZ/PR
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