In a highly unusual statement issued on Saturday January 22, the British Foreign Office accused Moscow of seeking to install a “pro-Russian leader” in Kiev and even suggested that a potential candidate for this position had been identified by the Russian authorities: “ex-Ukrainian MP Yevhen Murayev”. “We have information that the Russian intelligence services maintain links with many ex-Ukrainian politicians,” adds the Foreign Office, citing four other Ukrainian personalities: Mikola Azarov, Serhiy Arbuzov, Andriy Kluyev and Volodymyr Sivkovych.
Mr. Azarov served as prime minister from 2010 to 2014, Mr. Arbuzov is a former first deputy prime minister, and Mr. Kluyev is a former chief of staff. All three were allies of the former Ukrainian president, the pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovych, ousted from power in 2014 after the Maidan revolution. The fourth, Mr. Sivkovych, was sanctioned Thursday, January 20 by the United States. According to Washington, he was one of the ” pions ” working with Russian spy agencies to destabilize Ukraine. “Russia must lower the tension [à la frontière ukrainienne], put an end to its campaigns of aggression and disinformation, and pursue the diplomatic path, concluded Liz Truss, the British Foreign Secretary. Any Russian military incursion into Ukraine would be a huge mistake and would have a massive cost. »
The British release surprised, as much by its content as by its “timing”. Of course, London supports ” without reservation “ Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and has sent military support and defense weapons to Kiev in recent days (30 trainers and 2,000 anti-tank missiles). But so far, the government of Boris Johnson has remained very in the background on this serious crisis at the borders of the European Union: it is mired in the “partygate”, this scandal of parties organized in Downing Street in full confinement.
Skepticism
Quoted by the state agency RIA Novosti, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the ” disinformation “ British, adding that she was “ a proof “ additional than “it is the NATO countries, especially the Anglo-Saxons, who are raising tensions” in Ukraine – and not Moscow. “ We call on London to put an end to these stupid, and dangerous rhetorical provocations in the current situation,” reacted the Russian Embassy in the United Kingdom.
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