MOSCOW, May 05. /ITAR-TASS/. The Council of Europe must urge the present de-facto authorities in Kiev to unconditionally comply with the Geneva accord on de-escalation of tensions and work on a new Constitution, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

“In view of a crisis situation in Ukraine, potentials of the Council of Europe must be used for legal assistance in the carrying out of a profound constitutional reform in that country, based on inclusive national dialogue with an aim to overcome split of the society,” it said.

“The policy practiced by Kiev to restrict freedom of the media, impose restrictions on travels between Russia and Ukraine, use armed forces against civilians are at variance with the basic norms and principles of the Council of Europe and must be immediately stopped,” the ministry added. “Council of Europe’s related agencies must make an adequate estimate of this practice,” it added.

 

Russia's Foreign ministry assessment

Kiev’s plans to carry out a special assault operation in the South-East of Ukraine will lead to a catastrophe, the Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier.

“Moscow is seriously worried by media reports about the Kiev regime’s plans to carry out a special assault operation in the south-eastern regions of the country using ultra-nationalist Right Sector units,” the ministry said.

“Such irresponsible and aggressive actions by the present ‘Ukrainian government’ can have catastrophic consequences if implemented,” the ministry warned. “Punitive measures against their own people would indicate the inability of the Kiev leadership to fulfill its obligations assumed under the Geneva Statement of April 17 to stop all violence as soon as possible and launch a broad national dialogue with all regions and political forces.”

Kiev’s intention to hold a nationwide poll on May 25 is a sham, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement earlier. “Instead of launching an extensive nationwide discussion in the country to seek for ways out of the deep political and socio-economic crisis that would involve all political forces and all regions, the Kiev authorities are engaged in staging sham actions,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed. “This will lead nowhere except to a further aggravation of the crisis in the country,” the ministry noted.