"The current status of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol as Russian constituents is a settled issue. It is not a subject to revision… Thus, Russia is free to deploy its troops and military equipment on its own territory. The attempts to inspect the Crimean territory as part of Ukraine's inspection are provocative and futile," the statement said.
Moreover, Russia is ready to welcome inspectors and observers in Crimea if corresponding requests under the Vienna Document on military transparency are submitted, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
"As for repeated accusations under the Vienna Document (as well as the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe) of 'occupation,' 'annexation' of Crimea and deployment of troops there 'without consent of an accepting party,' the peninsula rejoined Russia is a result of a free expression of will of its multinational population… Russia is definitely ready to accept inspectors, observers and assessment groups in Crimea in case the corresponding requests under the Vienna Document are submitted," the statement said.
The referendum on Crimea reunification with Russia was held in March 2014, and resulted in 97 percent of the Crimean population supporting the reunification. However, Kiev and the West still consider Crimea as a part of Ukraine.
