Russia FO calls Yushchenko a Russophobe

November25200920:27

High presidential office officials have been increasing vocal in stressing the importance of good relations with Russia. However, the office’s policies contribute little to the strengthening of these relations. This is how Russia Foreign Office commented on Pres. Yushchenko’s decree on measures to commemorate the Ukrainian liberation movement in the 20th century, Glavred quotes Russia FO press service as saying.

According to Russia FO, the rhetoric on the issues of language and history is aimed, as before, at fuelling confrontation, jeopardizing Russia-Ukraine relations and forced Ukrainianization of Russian-speaking residents to benefit the Ukrainian-speaking minority living in Western Ukraine.

In the course of Yushchenko campaigning in Western Ukraine dedicated to the 67th anniversary of the UPA, Yushchenko’s message was clear, Russia FO continues, implying that Western Ukrainians fought in WWII against two totalitarian states, Germany and Soviet Union. UPA soldiers were praised as fighters against Nazies and Red Army. The Ukrainian president has issued numerous decrees to introduce new commemoration events in Ukraine, the Russia FO statement goes on.

“To illustrate, we can point to Yushchenko’s recent decree on the measures to commemorate the Ukrainian liberation movement in the 20th century. He proposed to recognize such organizations that fought for Ukraine’s independence as The Ukrainian Military Organization, Carpathian Sich, Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, UPA and Main Ukrainian Liberation Council.”

“However, Ukrainian Russophobes have failed to remember the joint struggle of the peoples of the USSR against Nazism, about Red Army soldiers who opened the way to victory over Hitler, about the guerilla movement on the Fascist-occupied territories. Yushchenko’s decrees are not merely politicizing on the issues of history. They are a humiliation of the millions who lost their lives, including the citizens of Ukraine,” the Russian FO says.

Meanwhile, Ukraine security service, SBU, denied entry in Ukraine to 2 Russian experts who planned to take part in a conference on international politics.

SBU refused to comment, citing the Ukrainian legislation.

Border officials said later that the Russians are on the black list for using illegal means to help, both financially and as spin doctors, radical pro-Russian organizations in Crimea.