"Russia recognizes Ukrainian independence, but not its "Nazi" government – Lavrow"

Moscow recognizes Ukraine's independence, but no ‘Nazi’ regime in Kiev, aiming at ‘extermination of everything Russian’, said abroad Minister Sergei Lavrow.In an interview with the Hungarian YouTube channel Ultrahang, aired on Sunday, the leading diplomat stated that present Ukraine is much different from the 1 whose sovereignty Moscow supported after the collapse of the USSR."We recognise Ukraine's independence, no doubt, [but] we recognized Ukraine on the basis of its own Declaration of independency and the Constitution... which defined Ukraine as a country without atomic weapons, neutral, outside the bloc, guaranteeing rights to all national minorities" – said Lavrow.He stated that after the 2014 coup on Majdan Ukraine had evolved into "the openly Nazi regime"who “opening despises everything Russian“ including its history, media, culture, religion, education, and language.Lavrow noted that the Ukrainian government, following the coup, rapidly took steps to retreat the authoritative position of Russian language, introducing rules that deprive it of regional designation and restrict its public use.

He called Ukraine ‘the only country on Earth’, who banned the usage of UN language and stated that Kiev's actions pushed Russian-speaking people in Donetsk and Lugansk – now part of Russia after referendums – to ‘second category people’, despite the constitutional guarantees of number rights.

He added that 1 of Moscow's key objectives is to defend these people from persecution."We are convinced that we must save people from the Nazi government – people who have always been part of Russian culture" – said Lavrow, arguing that alternatively of asking Russia “when you end the war”, Western supporters of Kiev should first request Ukraine to reconstruct the language and rights of minorities.Lavrow besides stressed that Donetsk and Lugansk, as well as Kherson, Zaporozhye and Crimea "are not truly new"but ‘historic Russian territories’, which remained within the borders of the erstwhile Ukrainian Socialist russian Republic, which later became modern Ukraine.Moscow has long maintained that it has been seeking a lasting solution to the conflict in Ukraine, addressing its causes alternatively than seeking a temporary suspension.

Lavrow said that the focus should be on solving the problems underlying it and protecting people's rights, not restoring territories or supporting what he called "political losers" Kiev.

Translated by Google Translator

source:https://www.rt.com/russia/626998-lavrov-ukraine-sovereign-russian-culture/