KIEV, Aug. 17 – Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry seeks more details about legislation that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recently submitted to authorize legal use of military force in foreign countries, allegedly for protection of Russian citizens.

The focus of the inquiry is how the legislation would affect Ukraine as tens of thousands of people in Crimea, the country’s autonomous region, are thought to have Russian and Ukrainian citizenships.

“We view this legislation with a degree of concern. It affects not only Ukraine, it affects any other territory,” Yuriy Kostenko, acting first deputy foreign minister, said Monday. “We have tens of thousands of citizens living with two passports.”

The comment comes after Medvedev submitted the legislation that authorizes Russian military forces to be used in other countries for protecting the holders of Russian passports. The legislation also authorizes Russian forces to open fire for protection of its military bases on foreign soil.

“We ordered the embassy in the Russian Federation to ask how is this affecting Ukraine and the Ukrainian people as the Russian Black Sea Fleet is stationed on our territory,” Kostenko said.

Ukraine’s concerns over the Russian legislation comes days after Medvedev in a letter last week had accused Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko of “anti-Russian” foreign policy, and suspended the arrival of Russia’s new ambassador in Ukraine.

The letter, which Yushchenko called “very disappointing” and “unfriendly,” underscores the major escalation of tensions between the two countries.

Yushchenko replied by suggesting holding a summit to solve the problems, but Medvedev had flatly rejected the idea, suggesting relations will continue to deteriorate during the next six months.

The developments come a year after Russia sent tens of thousands of troops and tanks into Georgia, a small pro-Western country in the Caucuses and a Ukrainian ally.

The five-day incursion ended with a de-facto annexation of Georgia’s two breakaway territories, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, a move that had been condemned by most countries in the world.

Many analysts said that Russia’s increasing assertiveness have become a threat for Ukraine, in particular to Crimea, an autonomous region in which two thirds of its 1.5 million population are ethnic Russians.

But the Ukrainian foreign ministry on Monday sought to play down those fears, suggesting that it was unlikely for Russia to use direct military force against Ukraine.

“I do not expect any bigger threat [to Ukraine] then an appeal or an address [from the Russian president] to the Ukrainian people,” Kostenko said, adding that it would make sense to conduct direct talks between Ukraine and Russia.

“The two parties must consistently talk on each of these issues at the negotiating table, not through sending SMS,” Kostenko said. (tl/ez)