Ukraine's Kazakh Embassy has lodged a protest over maps near an international energy exposition in Astana that show Ukraine's occupied Crimean Peninsula as part of Russia.

The maps are part of decorative statues on Nurzhol Boulevard outside of Expo 2017, a three-month exposition that began on June 10 with Russian President Vladimir Putin in attendance.

One statue is holding a map of Ukraine that does not include the territory of Crimea. Another holds a map of Russia that includes Crimea.

The Ukrainian Embassy wrote on Facebook on June 12 that the map of Ukraine was shown "with elements in violation of the country's territorial integrity," and the map of Russia was shown "with elements that violate Ukraine's territorial integrity."

The Ukrainian Embassy said it expected explanations from Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry.

Russia seized control of Crimea in 2014 after sending in troops and staging a referendum considered illegitimate by Ukraine and more than 100 other countries in the United Nations.