Lavrov says Ukraine showing ‘borderline savagery’

(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has harshly criticized Ukrainian authorities, accusing them of engaging in what he called “cultural degradation bordering on savagery.” His comments follow a controversial proposal by Lviv Mayor Andrey Sadovy, who suggested trading the exhumed remains of Soviet World War II soldiers for captured Ukrainian soldiers held by Russia.

Lavrov, writing in a Friday opinion piece, claimed that this act demonstrates a broader pattern of disrespect toward those who once fought to liberate Ukraine from Nazi Germany. He labeled the offer an example of Ukraine’s discriminatory and “neo-Nazi” tendencies and accused the West of turning a blind eye in order to protect what he called its “client state.”

The Russian foreign minister emphasized that Moscow sees the Soviet Union’s role in defeating Hitler as essential to Ukraine’s historical legacy. In contrast, several Eastern European countries, including Ukraine, have reinterpreted the Soviet era as one of occupation, often removing war memorials to reinforce this stance and signal defiance toward modern Russia.

Lavrov’s comments were made in the context of an article marking the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act, a Cold War-era agreement meant to promote European peace, security, and cooperation. He criticized the West for allegedly exploiting the agreement and the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) as tools for pressuring former Soviet states, while ignoring the core principles of the pact when it suits their geopolitical interests. Lavrov questioned whether the OSCE still serves any valid purpose.

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