Emergency statement from Kravchuk, Kuchma, Yushchenko: Russia is behind the events in Crimea, we demand tough measures from the SBU and the GPU!
Kyiv, February 26 (Navigator, Mikhail Ryabov) – Pro-Russian demonstrations of recent days in Crimea are the result of Russian interference in the internal affairs of Ukraine. The corresponding statement was released by ex-presidents Leonid Kravchuk, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko.
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“Today it is especially dangerous to hastily solve acute international, interfaith, linguistic and cultural problems. They will definitely be used by anti-Ukrainian forces to discredit the new Ukrainian government. We cannot repeat the mistakes of the past. Always remember that Ukraine has not yet formed as a single nation. We have deep historical problems, they must be taken into account when forming the internal and foreign policies of the State,” the document says.
“One of the most alarming forecasts for the development of events, which has begun to come true in recent days, is the fanning of separatist sentiments in the South and East of Ukraine. The disastrous holding of the congress of deputies of local councils in Kharkov could not provide an effective impetus for this process. Therefore, we see other attempts to support the corresponding sentiments and destabilize the situation in Ukraine,” the ex-presidents argue.
“Russia, which has always called the attempts of our international partners to resolve the situation politically as “interference” in the internal affairs of Ukraine, has now itself resorted to direct interference in the political life of Crimea. The ideas of representatives of the Russian State Duma to hold a referendum on the annexation of Crimea to Russia or a corresponding appeal from the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea should be condemned as calls for the overthrow of the constitutional order and violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The scenario of federalization of the Ukrainian state is now dangerous. This is the path to escalating the political crisis, inciting political hostility in Crimea, and discrediting the new Ukrainian government,” say Kuchma, Yushchenko and Kravchuk.
“Politicians who propose these dangerous recipes, if relevant activities are intensified, should feel the reaction of the SBU and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, which must react harshly to manifestations of separatism. Any propaganda campaign aimed at strengthening these sentiments must also be assessed by law enforcement agencies, in accordance with Ukrainian legislation. Speculation regarding the violation of the rights of the Russian-speaking population of Crimea, inciting hostility between regions of Ukraine on the basis of their cultural and historical diversity, humiliation of the Ukrainian language and open disrespect for the state symbols of Ukraine must receive proper assessment,” the ex-presidents call.
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