Russia calls for OSCE Permanent Council meeting to discuss Ukraine

Russia urged the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to hold an extraordinary meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council to discuss the tense humanitarian situation in Ukraine, Russian Permanent Representative at the OSCE Andrey Kelin told Russian media on Tuesday.

“Today we have raised the question of convening the OSCE Permanent Council as quickly as possible to discuss the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, it is bad and keeps deteriorating,” he said.

“Today we have moved an OSCE Permanent Council draft decision via the Swiss presidency. The draft decision contains a demand to stop combat actions immediately, withdraw Ukrainian military forces from the conflict zone, the Ukrainian government should create humanitarian corridors for civilians and immediately permit delivery of food supplies and other types of humanitarian aid,” Kelin said.

The head of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, Irina Yarovaya, commented on the matter. "I believe Ukraine is a topic which is interesting for everyone. Ukraine is an example which shows how important it is to retain one's sovereignty, as its problems started after European and American politicians began to interfere in the independent affairs of its internal policy. Numerous visitors to the Maidan followed their own interests and didn’t defend the rights and freedoms of Ukrainian citizens. Unfortunately, such politics under the guise of democracy, when the interests of other states are imposed on a country, are very dangerous. What is going on in Ukraine today is not the result of one day or even one decade. Sovereignty was lost. The educational system and the activities of non-governmental organizations could form a new generation which is oriented toward fascist ideology," she said.

At the same time, the EU has laws for all members of the Union on criminal responsibility for rehabilitation of Nazism, she noted. "The minimum punishment is 3 years of imprisonment. However, as you know, not all states follow the law. Double standards are growing. Direct activities on rehabilitation of fascists are gaining a mass character; it is actually an attempt to reconsider the results of the Second World War. The Nuremberg judgement is a legal act of supreme judicial power, which gives a single-value assessment of the results of the Second World War: who was an aggressor and who was a defender. The fact that today fascist ideology is used as a modern instrument for realization of personal political ambitions means that history’s lessons were not learnt and these people punish their nation by their deeds," the lawmaker said.

According to Yarovaya, the events in Ukraine brought to power people who promote fascist ideology. "The fact that our Russian journalists are dying in Ukraine proves that you, citizens of Russia, Russian journalists, are the rescuing army. You are the only ones telling the truth about the events which are happening there. You record facts which reveal the crimes of the authorities, who actually order the destruction of their people. I believe the work of our journalists, and they are being killed for it, is a reliable source of information. And Russia’s position is directed at prevention of making military activities, violence and murders instruments of solving problems. We call on the president of Ukraine to stop giving orders to kill peaceful residents," she said.