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Moscow lodges protest with Kiev over recent incitement against Russian diplomats

Moscow is insisting that Kiev hold the perpetrators accountable

MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday lodged a strong protest with Ukraine’s Charge d’Affaires in Russia Vasily Pokotilo over a provocation against Russian diplomats in Kiev.

"On March 17, Ukraine’s Charge d’Affaires in the Russian Federation Vasily Pokotilo was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry, and a strong protest was lodged with him over the provocation against diplomats of the Russian Embassy in Ukraine that occurred in Kiev on March 16," Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"The Russian Embassy in Kiev has sent a note of protest to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry in connection with that incident," the diplomatic agency added.

Moscow is insisting that Kiev hold the perpetrators accountable. "We have demanded that the Ukrainian side take prompt measures to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice. Furthermore, any future acts like these must be prevented and conditions for the personal safety and immunity of Russian diplomats in Ukraine must be guaranteed," the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized.

The Ukrainian diplomat was told that "Russia views that provocation as another blatant violation by Ukraine of the provisions of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which oblige the host country to prevent any disturbance of the peace at diplomatic missions or insults to their dignity, and provide guarantees of security, inviolability and respect for a diplomatic agent."

Citing local law enforcement agencies, the Ukrainskaya Pravda newspaper earlier reported that unidentified individuals had put up posters near the offices and apartments of Russian diplomats in Kiev. The photos of the posters published by the paper depict Russian Embassy employees uttering that ‘Crimea is recognized as part of Ukraine’ in Ukrainian and Russian. That was how Ukrainian extremists marked the anniversary of the referendum on Crimea’s reunification with Russia, held on March 16, 2014.

In addition, the Ukrainian state emblem was glued to the official cars of Russian diplomats. Some of the diplomats were depicted as personnel of the Russian General Staff and the Federal Security Service.

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