Protests Turn Violent Outside Russian Embassy in Kyiv
Published: June 15, 2014 (Issue # 1815)
The EU has called on Ukrainian authorities to ensure the security of the Russian Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine after protests over the downing by separatists of a military aircraft on June 14 near Lugansk, in the east of the country, turned violent. All 49 people on board the aircraft were killed in the incident.
“We condemn the attack on the Russian Embassy in Kyiv,” said Maya Kotsyanchich, speaking on behalf of the EU’s Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton. “We urge the Ukrainian authorities to ensure the necessary security measures in accordance with their obligations under the Vienna Convention.”
The protests began outside the Russian embassy on Saturday evening. The protesters blocked the embassy building, smashed and overturned diplomatic vehicles and threw stones at the building, Interfax reports.
In addition, the report states that the embassy was pelted with green paint, eggs, smoke bombs, firecrackers and Molotov cocktails. The protests near the embassy ended at around 4:00 a.m. Moscow time on Sunday.
Shortly before this, the protesters handed their demands for official Russian comment on the downed transport aircraft to embassy secretary Igor Shapovalov. In addition, the protesters urged diplomats to leave the mission. Interfax reports that Shapovalov promised to transmit the protesters demands to Moscow.
Russia’s permanent representative to the UN Vitaly Churkin on Sunday night introduced a resolution condemning the incident in Kyiv which was blocked by the UN Security Council.
Russian authorities also raised questions about an incident involving Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrei Deshitsa, who arrived at the embassy to calm the crowd and addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin using foul language.
Later, in an interview with the Echo Moskvy radio station, Deshitsa argued that his use of harsh language reduced tensions at the embassy, which, according to him, was in danger of being set alight.
Commissioner for Human Rights and Democracy with the Russian Foreign Ministry, Konstantin Dolgov, called Deshitsa’s statements outrageous.
“I think it’s beyond commenting on,” Dolgov said Sunday, speaking with the Govorit Moskva radio station. “This just goes to show the political culture, or lack of culture, of the people who are in power in Kyiv. This is a good indication of who it is the world has to deal with in Kyiv.”