Polish Sejm recognizes Russia as a state-sponsor of terrorism

The press service of Polish Sejm stated on Wednesday, December 14.

According to the document, Russia "systematically violates human rights, international law and Charter of the United Nations and a number of other obligations", "annexes territories of other states, armed attacks, war crimes and genocides" and "carries out hostile economic actions, in particular in the field of energy".

As Sejm wrote in the resolution, Russia "bears direct responsibility for downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in July 2014, when 298 passengers and crew members died," as well as for "the crash of Polish Air Force (flight 101) in Smolensk in April 2010, in which 96 people died on board, including President of Republic of Poland, Lech Kaczyński, Polish government officials, high-ranking commanders of Polish army and NATO, and members of Polish Parliament.

"Brutal and illegal aggression of Russian Federation against Ukraine continues. Russian military carries out attacks throughout the territory of occupied country, which killed thousands of people, including many children. Russian Federation and its subordinate structures and armed formations commit acts of terror against civilian targets infrastructure, carry out collective executions and commit kidnapping, sexual violence and torture, separating children from their families in order to subject them to Russification, mass deportations of people, forced conscription of Ukrainian citizens into Russian Armed Forces and looting of property. Russia repeatedly violates Geneva Convention on Treatment of Prisoners of War", parliamentarians wrote.

Sejm also declared that Russian Federation had committed act of international piracy "by military blockade of Ukrainian ports and paralyzing sea traffic on routes leading to them, without declaring war."

"By burning and looting Ukrainian lands and preventing Ukraine from exporting agricultural products for a long time, it brought the specter of famine to many countries in Africa and Asia," Sejm declared.

Chamber supported independent and sovereign Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, positively evaluated resolution of Senate on recognition of Russian Federation as a terrorist regime and resolution of European Parliament on recognition of Russian Federation as a state that sponsors terrorism. MEPs also called on European Commission, other EU institutions and all UN member states to take the same position and take necessary measures to stop Russian aggression and punish aggressor. "Russian Federation should be isolated in the international arena," Sejm stressed.

"Sejm of Republic of Poland recognizes Russian Federation as a state that supports terrorism and uses terrorist measures," resolution says.

• Also, on December 14, Czech Republic recognized Holodomor as genocide of Ukrainian people.