The President of Ukraine, Poroshenko said that the decision of Russia to recognize documents of the Republics of Donbass violated the noms of the international law. 

‘For me, this is another proof of both the Russian occupation and a violation of the international law by Russia,’ said Poroshenko after a meeting with US Vice President, Michael Pence.

Earlier, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin signed a decree «On the recognition by the Russian Federation of documents and license plates of vehicles, issued to Ukrainian citizens and stateless persons, permanently residing in the territories of certain areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine». 

According to the document, the decision was taken ‘to protect the rights and freedoms of individuals, being guided by the universally recognized principles and norms of the international humanitarian law’.