Russia’s ambassador to Poland doused in red by Ukraine war protesters – National
Russia‘s ambassador to Poland was doused in a crimson substance on Monday by folks protesting towards the battle in Ukraine as he went to put flowers on the Soviet Navy Cemetery in Warsaw to mark the 77th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany.
The battle in Ukraine has solid a shadow over this 12 months’s Victory Day, when Moscow honours the 27 million Soviet residents who misplaced their lives in World Struggle Two. Poland, a robust supporter of Ukraine in its resistance to Russia’s invasion, opposed any large-scale commemoration going down.
Video footage posted on Twitter confirmed the protesters, some with Ukrainian flags, surrounding the Russian delegation and chanting “fascists” earlier than Ambassador Sergey Andreev was doused within the crimson substance.
Andreev advised reporters he and his crew weren’t severely damage within the incident, TASS information company reported.
“We’ll make a proper protest,” he mentioned. “After they advisable that we not maintain a bigger occasion, we met them midway, we didn’t worsen the state of affairs.”
Earlier within the day the phrases “Kill Putin” have been discovered written in blue and yellow, the colors of the Ukrainian flag, on a monument on the cemetery, personal broadcaster TVN24 reported. The writing was later eliminated.
One protester interviewed by TVN24 mentioned it was good that the ambassador had been coated in crimson.
“With all our coronary heart we’re with Mariupol,” she mentioned, referring to the southeastern Ukrainian metropolis that has been devastated by the battle.
‘NEO-NAZI THUGS’
The Polish international ministry described the incident as “regrettable.”
“Diplomats get pleasure from particular safety, whatever the insurance policies pursued by the governments that they characterize,” it mentioned in an announcement.
The Russian international ministry mentioned in an announcement: “A powerful protest was expressed to the Polish authorities for virtually conniving with neo-Nazi thugs.”
It additionally demanded that the Polish authorities manage a brand new wreath-laying ceremony instantly after the incident compelled the suspension of the unique plan.
Poland, residence of the Solidarity commerce union that performed a key function in bringing down communism in central and jap Europe, has lengthy had a tense relationship with Russia and is an advocate of robust sanctions towards Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
Greater than three million Ukrainians have fled to Poland because the Russian invasion started on Feb. 24.
President Vladimir Putin calls Russia’s actions in Ukraine a “particular navy operation” to disarm the nation and shield it from fascists. Ukraine and the West say the fascism declare is a false pretext for an unprovoked battle of aggression by Russia.
