Declarations
Notifications
Articles: 15
As the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics does not exist any more and since the Russian Federation according to its declaration contained in its Note of 13 January 1992 to the Heads of the Diplomatic Representations at Moscow (see below) continues to perform the rights and fulfil the obligations following from the international agreements signed by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the depositary has asked the Russian Federation to let him know whether this declaration applies also to the present Convention and, in the affirmative, to inform him of the adaptations to be made in the notification made by the Soviet Union on 4 September 1991.
Declarations made by the Russian Federation:
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation presents its compliments to the Heads of Diplomatic Representations in Moscow and has the honour to request them to inform their Governments about the following.
The Russian Federation continues to perform the rights and fulfil the obligations following from the international agreements signed by the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics.
Accordingly the Government of the Russian Federation shall perform the functions of a depository in conformity with the corresponding multilateral agreements instead of the Government of the USSR.
Therefore, the Ministry kindly requests to consider the Russian Federation as a Party to all international agreements in force instead of the USSR.
The Ministry avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Heads of Diplomatic Representations the assurances of its highest consideration.
Moscow, January 13, 1992."
Please click here to read the depositary's Notification in conformity with Article 15 of the Convention, dated 15 May 1992.
Additional information (5-08-2008)
For the purposes of Article 6 of the Convention the Russian Side declares that, alongside with the competent authorities declared earlier by the Russian Side, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is the authority competent to issue the Certificate (Apostille), referred to in Article 3 of the Convention, on official archive documents on military service (employment) in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the Armed Forces of the USSR and the Joint Armed Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), issued in the Russian Federation.
19-07-2016
Unofficial translation
Statement on the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents
"Reaffirming its firm commitment to respect and fully comply with generally recognised principles and rules of international law, the Russian Federation, with reference to the declaration of Ukraine of 16 October 2015 regarding the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, states the following.
The Russian Federation rejects to the above mentioned declaration of Ukraine and states that it cannot be taken into consideration as it is based on a bad faith and incorrect presentation and interpretation of facts and law.
The declaration of Ukraine regarding "certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine" cannot serve as a justification for non-compliance with its obligations, disregard for humanitarian considerations, refusal or failure to take necessary measures to find practical solutions for issues that have a very serious and direct impact on the ability of residents of those regions to exercise their fundamental rights and freedoms provided for by international law.
The declaration of independence of the Republic of Crimea and its voluntary accession to the Russian Federation are the result of a direct and free expression of will by the people of Crimea in accordance with democratic principles, a legitimate form of exercising their right to self-determination given an aided from abroad violent coup d'état in Ukraine which caused rampant
radical nationalist elements not hesitating to use terror, intimidation and harassment against both its political opponents and the population of entire regions of Ukraine.
The Russian Federation rejects any attempts to call into question an objective status of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol as constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the territories of which are an integral part of the territory of the Russian Federation under its full sovereignty. Thus, the Russian Federation reaffirms that it fully complies with its international obligations under the Convention in relation to this part of its territory".