US, EU condemns Putin's visit to Crimea

The US and EU have reportedly expressed their displeasure over Russian president Vladimir Putin's first visit to Crimea since Russia annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in March.

According to the BBC, while the US state department said the trip was "provocative and unnecessary," the Kiev government called it a "gross violation of Ukraine's sovereignty".

Meanwhile, deadly new clashes broke out in south-eastern Ukraine following the visit by the Russian president.

Deeming Putin's trip provocative and unnecessary, US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that Crimea belongs to Ukraine and the US doesn't recognize the illegal and illegitimate steps by Russia in that regard.

US National Security Council spokeswoman Laura Magnuson said that the visit only served to fuel tension.

Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, said the EU "regretted" the presence of Putin at a military parade in Crimea's port of Sevastopol, the report added.