The involvement of Russian-inspired separatists in the unrest, seizure of government buildings and brutal violence seen on the streets of Donetsk, Kharkiv and Lugansk is evidence of the Kremlin’s attempt to repeat the Crimean scenario, but this time in Eastern Ukraine.
European leaders repeatedly warned Russia that any further steps to escalate the crisis in Ukraine would be met with a further level of sanctions. In recent days, precisely such steps have been taken by the Kremlin. They are part of Vladimir Putin’s plan to dismantle and destroy Ukraine as a sovereign European state.
These actions are accompanied by massive, Soviet-style propaganda. When I read a recent Telegraph article by my fellow-ambassador from Russia, my first thought was that it was an early April Fools' Day prank. First, because it is not the best example of diplomatic practice when an ambassador of one country gives lessons to another country in a respected media outlet from a third country. But second, because every single paragraph of his article was filled with half-truths or outright misinformation concerning events in Ukraine.
Russia is piling up its military capacities in the region bordering Ukraine, threatening a war. Russian agents of the FSB (the former KGB) are undertaking further steps to organise separatist provocations. Their aim is to destabilise south-eastern Ukraine. Self-proclaimed puppet authorities are created who then call upon Russian troops to protect a few hundred separatists – who are mainly citizens of Russia, deliberately brought to Ukraine by the Russian secret services in order to destabilise it.
The “lessons” outlined in the ambassador’s piece are nothing but interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine. But in truth, only the Ukrainian people have the right to decide on the form of government to choose, on the language to speak, on the military-political stance to take. And these issues will be resolved in the national constitution.
Ukraine always was – and, I’m convinced, will be – a unitary state. Kiev has unambiguously urged Moscow to avoid meddling in Ukraine’s internal affairs. Instead, the Russians offer an idea of federalisation aimed at destroying Ukraine.
Accusing Ukraine of violating minorities’ rights, the Kremlin is once again trying to misinform the international community. These accusations are groundless. In Crimea, up to 97 percent of schools have always been Russian-language-based. Today, the remaining 3 per cent of schools that teach in Ukrainian, Tatar and other languages are about to be closed by the Russian puppet authorities. This is a clear example of the Russian style of “protecting” national minorities.
The bottom line of Russia’s smear campaign, and its efforts to muddy the waters of international opinion, is an attempt to prevent Ukraine from moving towards closer association with the European Union. Moscow is using its unlawful annexation of Crimea in a desperate attempt to regain its lost influence in our nation. But that approach is doomed to failure.
I wouldn’t waste words to challenge the ambassador’s assertions on freedom of speech, the media, the activities of political parties etc. We all know how all those things are “respected” and upheld in Russia today. I simply want to draw the attention of my diplomatic colleague to the Holy Bible: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
Volodymyr Khandohiy is a Ukrainian diplomat and politician. Khandohiy was the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine for six months in 2009.