Ukraine initiates a case against Russian officials for conducting a 'hybrid war'
The Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (a unit that remains within the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine) has opened a criminal case against Russian officials for conducting a "hybrid war", as stated in a message published on the Prosecutor's Office website.
The case was opened, according to the materials of the Security Service (SBU), under Part 1 of Article 437 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (planning, preparation, unleashing and waging an aggressive war).
It is based on the materials of the SBU, in which Russian officials are accused of actions that were aimed at "undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine and creating conditions for involuntary resettlement from the territory of the Crimea" of Ukrainian citizens.
During the pre-trial investigation, the Prosecutor's Office will pay "special attention" to involvement in the preparation for "the occupation of the Crimea and the incitement of hatred towards Ukrainians among of the inhabitants of the peninsula “by "manipulating public opinion" through the media and social networks.
In response, the subordinate to the Kremlin head of the Republic of the Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, told Russia’s TASS news agency that the institution of a criminal case against officials from Russia for conducting a "hybrid war" was illogical and meaningless. According to him, Ukraine is acting on the principle "what else can we do bad to them [the Crimea]" without applying "common sense" and "logic", as well as "care for their country – for Ukraine".
In an article published on May 27 in Politico, Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko spoke regarding about Russia's "hybrid war" against Ukraine in the virtual space. In it, the president called on G7 leaders to stop "Russia's aggression" and "invest" in the security of Ukraine. "The Kremlin's tentacles are reaching for the throats of the key capitals of Europe and its transatlantic allies," Poroshenko said.