According to the Permanent Representative of Lithuania, Russia is breaking the Minsk Agreements by continuing to supply weaponry and send troops to Ukraine. Special monitoring mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is reporting regular breaches of Minsk Agreements, including increased movement of heavy weapons in the separatist-controlled territory, individuals crossing the border in military uniforms, bearing Russian military symbols, the settlements with civilians are being used as cover for the shelling. OSCE observers have been threatened and banned from entering the observation points, targeted by shooting. "The OSCE monitoring mission can monitor just 1 percent of the Russian - Ukrainian border. Easy to imagine the extent of the violations taking place in those areas which do not reach the eyes of international observers, "- said Ambassador Murmokaitė.
Lithuanian representative drew the attention to the consequences of the conflict - currently there are 1.3 million internally displaced persons in Ukraine, the number of dead exceeded 6500, even more people injured. Ukrainian Air Force pilot Nadija Savchenko is illegally detained and imprisoned, other citizens of Ukraine are illegitimately detained as well. Coal is being stolen and shipped out of the country; the so called Russian 'humanitarian' convoy is crossing the Ukrainian border without checking and consent of Ukraine. Russia is responsible for the war directed against Ukraine and only Russia can stop it.
Lithuanian Ambassador noted that Lithuania supports the UN, the OSCE and other international efforts to address the crisis in eastern Ukraine, and calls on the UN Secretary General to further strengthen its efforts before the conflict requires more victims. She pointed out that Lithuania supports the idea to reinforce the UN forces in Ukraine by establishing a UN peace support office. Lithuania consistently supports Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and does not recognize the annexation of the Crimea.
