The statement by the ministry was in line with Russia's frequent contention that Ukraine's large ethnic Russian community faces repression under the new government that Moscow characterizes as fascist.
The ministry statement raises the stakes on the issue, saying that ethnic Germans, Hungarians and Czechs in Ukraine also feel themselves in peril.
"They are unsettled by the unstable political situation in the country and are seriously afraid for their lives," the statement said, without citing specific incidents.
Russia has brought large numbers of troops to areas near the Ukrainian border and speculation is strong that Moscow could use protection of ethnic Russians as a pretext for a military incursion.
Tensions between Ukraine's ethnic Russians and Ukrainian-speakers continue to plague the country in the wake of the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia in February after months of protests against him.
The Crimea region, where ethnic Russians are a majority, voted this month to secede from Ukraine and Russia has formally annexed the Black Sea peninsula, a move that Western countries have denounced as illegitimate. Talk percolates of similar referenda in other regions with large Russian populations, although none has been scheduled.
Yanukovych on Friday issued a statement calling for an "all-Ukrainian referendum" to determine the status of Ukraine's regions, according to Russian news reports. The reports did not specify if he envisioned referenda in each region or a national vote, nor did he say what actually should be voted on.
- Proposals have been floated by Russia and some politicians to federalize Ukraine _ giving the regions more autonomy. The interim authorities reject such a move.
- Yanukovych's biggest rival, former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, attacked the statement, accusing Yanukovych of being "a tool aimed at destroying the independence of Ukraine."
- Also Friday, Russia's president said Ukraine could regain some arms and equipment of military units in Crimea that did not switch their loyalty to Russia.
Russian forces took control of Ukrainian military installations in Crimea this month after Russia formally annexed the Black Sea peninsula. Some Ukrainian servicemen reportedly joined Russian forces, while others withdrew.
Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday told President Vladimir Putin that the Ukrainian withdrawal from Crimea is complete, Russian news agencies reported.
Putin also approved Shoigu's proposal to turn over arms and equipment of the units still loyal to Ukraine, the reports said. No specifics were given on quantities, types of hardware or timing. [timesofindia.indiatimes.com]
28/3/14
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Russia's FM notifies Ukraine embassy of plans to scrap some agreements on Black Sea Fleet...
ReplyDeleteRussian Foreign Ministry has issued a note to the Ukrainian embassy in Moscow notifying it of plans to terminate the legal effect of a number of agreements on the Black Sea Fleet, a spokesman for the ministry said.
“March 28, Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a note to the Ukrainian embassy in Russia where it informed the Ukrainian officials of Moscow’s plans to terminate an agreement between Russia and Ukraine on the parameters of division of the Black Sea Fleet, an agreement on the status and terms of deployment of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine, and an agreement between the Russian and Ukrainian government on reciprocal payments in connection with the division of the Black Sea fleet and deployment of the Black Sea Fleet units on the territory of Ukfaine that were signed May 28, 1997,” the spokesman said.
The same note mentioned a Russian-Ukrainian agreement on the deployment of the Black Sea Fleet in Crimea that was signed in Kharkiv April 21, 2010.
“Simultaneously, the note says the Russian side is prepared to hand over to Ukraine the military properties belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and left behind in Crimea,” the spokesman noted.
http://en.itar-tass.com/russia/725729
28/3/14