Russia has upped the ante in its denunciation of the West’s role in Ukraine’s escalating political crisis, with a Kremlin spokesman voicing “indignation” over foreign meddling in Ukrainian affairs.
President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin feels “regret and indignation” over “outside interference” in the confrontation between protesters and security forces in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.
A day earlier the Russian Parliament accused Western politician of “blatant interferences” in what it described as an “attempt to forcefully overthrow the legitimate government” in Ukraine.
At least four people have died and hundreds have been wounded in four days of violent clashes in central Kiev. An eight hour truce was declared on Thursday after opposition leaders presented Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich with an ultimatum to call snap elections or face further violence.
“It's hard to comprehend why foreign ambassadors in Kiev should tell the Ukrainian authorities from where they should withdraw their Interior Ministry troops and police, what they should do next, etc.,” Mr Peskov told a Russian daily on Thursday. “In other words, we see these kinds of outside instructions as something altogether incomprehensible. Of course, we can’t approve of it and feel intense indignation about it.”
Mr Putin’s press secretary was apparently referring to a statement by Caitlin Hayden, a spokesman for U.S. National Security Council, who blamed Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovich for the violence and urged him to withdraw the riot police from downtown Kiev.
Last month ambassadors and officials of several European countries and the United States visited the protest camp in Kiev to voice their support, while Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Victoria Nuland even gave out sandwiches to protesters.
