MOSCOW: Russia said Thursday that Ukraine's passing of a new law recognising the conflict with pro-Moscow separatists in the east of the country as a "temporary Russian occupation" amounted to preparation for war.
"You cannot call this anything but preparation for a new war," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement, warning that the move "risked a dangerous escalation in Ukraine with unpredictable consequences for world peace and security."
Ukraine's parliament on Thursday formally defined the eastern conflict as a "temporary Russian occupation" in a vote that has infuriated the insurgents and Moscow.
Russia slammed Ukraine for passing a law that it said was intended to "confirm legislatively Kiev's aim to solve the 'Donbass problem' through force," referring to eastern Ukraine's separatist region.
It accused Kiev of "trying to remove its responsibility for the destruction and suffering" in the region and "to shift the blame onto Russia."
The foreign ministry highlighted the fact that the law was passed after the United States in December agreed to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, a decision that had prompted a warning from Moscow of further bloodshed.