Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

The Georgian-Russian conflict has again shown to what degree Russia does not respect the national sovereignty of its neighbours.

Russia, in freezing conflicts in Georgia, Moldova and through Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh, has supported their de facto independence while, in true Soviet double speak, "supporting Georgia and Moldova's territorial integrity". Similarly in supporting territorial claims against the Crimea and Truzla. Russia's double standards are blatant: while insisting on its right to use barbaric methods to support its territorial integrity in Chechnya it at the same times supports separatism in its neighbours.

The use of Russian Black Sea Fleet ships in the Georgian conflict is not the first occasion when Russia has used Ukrainian bases against Georgia (this

also happened in the 1990s).

Ukraine should assert its national sovereignty over Sevastopol and insist on Russia's full compliance with the 1997 basing agreement. Ukraine should threaten to abrogate the agreement if Russia continues to flout Ukraine's sovereignty by using Ukrainian bases in its aggression against Georgia.

Ukrainians should remember: today South Ossetia, tomorrow the Crimea.