KYIV, Aug 15 – Ukraine and the international community have never recognized Russia's law about invalidating Ukrainian licenses for mineral deposits in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, Ukraine's Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Ostap Semerak has said.

"This decision demonstrates once again that Russian officials do not respect the sovereign status of Ukraine and what belongs to its people. But Ukraine has no intention of abiding by the decision," the minister said in a statement posted to the ministry's website on Wednesday.