I was disappointed with the illustration which accompanied the report (US attention poses dangers for Ukraine, Oct 7) as it depicted Ukraine without the Crimean peninsula.

Even if it was unintentional, let me explain why it is disturbing.

Under international law, Crimea is and remains the territory of Ukraine despite its annexation by the Russian Federation in March 2014. Russia's actions have destroyed all positive ties between Ukraine and Russia. It also broke its promise to respect Ukraine's borders, given in exchange for Ukraine's nuclear weapons under the 1994 Budapest memorandum.

So, it is not just about a wrongly painted spot on a map, but about law, justice, peace and thousands of lives that have been shaken by it.

Russia's annexation is not just an attack on Ukraine, but an attack on the rules-based international order. We rely on every voice to support international law, order and justice. Ukraine is thankful to Singapore for all the support and its principled position. Any validation of Russia's action, inadvertent or otherwise, in the form of a political statement or a hastily drawn illustration, is unacceptable.

Dmytro Senik

Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Singapore

Embassy of Ukraine in Singapore, Brunei and New Zealand