The agreement extended from 2017 to 2049 the lease to Russia of naval facilities in Crimea
MADRID, 1 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) -
The Ukrainian authorities announced this Wednesday the opening of an investigation against former Prime Minister Mikola Azarov for the signing in 2010 of the so-called 'Kharkov Pact', which extended from 2017 to 2049 the rent to Russia of naval facilities on the peninsula from Crimea.
The Ukrainian Prosecutor's Office has indicated in a message on its Telegram account that a court "has given permission for a special preliminary investigation" against Azarov and has added that the investigations carried out so far allow it to be determined that the former prime minister "violated the Constitution" when signing the aforementioned agreement.
"As a result of these actions, preconditions were created for the increase in the number of Russian troops on Ukrainian territory, the renewal of equipment and its modernization, after which the invasion of the Russian Armed Forces and the occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol took place. ", has settled.
The agreement was signed by the then presidents of Russia and Ukraine, Dimitri Medvedev and Viktor Yanukovych, respectively, despite protests in Ukraine against the Russian presence in Crimea. Finally, Russia annexed the peninsula in 2014, a decision not recognized internationally.