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Russia on Saturday extended its support to India on the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, and said that the change in status and division into Union Territories was carried out within framework of the Constitution of India.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday gave assent to a legislation for bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, and two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh -- will come into existence on October 31.
The Parliament had earlier this week given its nod to the legislation for bifurcating the state, a bold and far-reaching decision that seeks to redraw the map and future of a region at the centre of a protracted militancy movement.
Russian Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued today, said it expects that India and Pakistan will not allow aggravation of the situation in the region due to the change by Delhi in the status of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
"We proceed from fact that the changes associated with the change in the status of the state of J&K and its division into two union territories are carried out within framework of the Constitution of the Republic of India," it added.
Russia is a consistent supporter of normalization of relations between India and Pakistan, it said, hoping that the differences will be resolved by political and diplomatic means on a bilateral basis.
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