KIEV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd December, 2020) Representatives of the UK Embassy in Ukraine visited border areas near Crimea and examined the work of the Chonhar, Kalanchak and Chaplynka checkpoints, the press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine said on Thursday.
"Yesterday, a group of diplomatic representatives of the UK Embassy in Ukraine, headed by Defence Attaché of the British Embassy in Ukraine, Commodore of the Royal Navy Tim Woods, paid a working visit to the administrative border with the temporarily occupied Crimea," the message said.
According to the press service, at the Chonhar, Kalanchak and Chaplynka checkpoints, the representatives of the embassy familiarized themselves with border crossing procedures, checkpoint infrastructure and border guards' workplace conditions.
The representatives of the embassy were accompanied by "Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea" Anton Korynevych and the head of the Kherson Border Guard Detachment, Col. Yuri Chernov. The parties discussed the socio-political, defense and security issues and the situation both in the region and on the border with Crimea.
Crimea rejoined Russia on March 18, 2014, after 97 percent of those participating in a regional referendum voted for the reunification. Ukraine and the majority of Western countries continue to consider Crimea as Ukrainian territory, accusing Russia of its illegal annexation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the issue of Crimea's territorial belonging is "historically closed," since Crimean residents decided to rejoin Russia in accordance with democratic procedures.
