WASHINGTON, September 26. /TASS/. The US State Department’s refusal to condemn the greeting of a Ukrainian Nazi, who served in the SS Division Galicia, is shameless and is an insult to the memory of the people who died during World War II, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said, according to the embassy’s Telegram channel.
"The vague reaction of the State Department’s Press Secretary to the appearance of an SS man in the highest legislative body of one of the closest allies of the United States looks especially cynical given the administration’s supposedly increased attention to human rights issues as well as to combating anti-Semitism," the diplomat noted. "The refusal to condemn neo-Nazi manifestations in the Canadian Parliament is a desecration of the memory of millions of ordinary people who perished during the Second World War. This is a betrayal of the memory of American soldiers and officers who gave their lives for the independence of the United States."
"Is it any wonder then that the US State Department’s ‘International Woman of Courage’ award was given this year to the notorious ‘Taira’ - criminal Yuliia Paievska, who was involved in the kidnapping of children in Mariupol after the murder of their parents - by Secretary of State Antony Blinken?" the diplomat said. "Perhaps it is no coincidence that diplomats of the Russian Embassy in Washington are denied holding a wreath-laying ceremony at the Arlington Cemetery as tribute to the joint fight of Soviet and American soldiers against Nazism as part of the traditional "Spirit of the Elbe" event?"
"The US political elite generally demonstrate "inattention" when it comes to Nazism in Ukraine. They did not notice the brutal massacre of the opponents of the 2014 coup d’etat in the House of Trade Unions in Odessa. They are unmoved by open use of SS symbols by the so-called ‘volunteer battalions.’ They do not object to the construction of monuments to the leaders of Ukrainian nationalism, who sided with Hitler, here in the United States," Antonov pointed out.
"The reluctance of officials in Washington to criticize the outrageous incident reveals the true attitude of the US authorities towards the tragic legacy of the 20th century. It shows that they are ready to support those who, with their past crimes, inspire the contemporary neo-Nazi rabble in Kiev to fight against their own people and destroy everything Russian," the envoy noted. "Rewriting the history of World War II is unacceptable. The Brown Plague must be stopped. This is exactly what the Russian Armed Forces are doing in Ukraine under the special military operation."
The incident in the parliament
Previously, Associated Press published photos showing the parliament greeting a 98-year-old Ukrainian nationalist, who fought in the 1st Galician SS Division during World War II, during Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s speech on September 22.
One photo is labeled: "Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recognize Yaroslav Hunka, who was in attendance and fought with the First Ukrainian Division in World War II before later immigrating to Canada."
US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said Monday that he is unaware of the reports about this incident, claiming that he was busy all day at the UN General Assembly session.