The Russian Foreign Ministry has released a statement marking the 10th anniversary of the pro-European protests in Kyiv’s Independence Square, blaming Ukraine and the West for the conflict with Moscow. In a derogatory tone, ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova asked what brought the dream of Europe to Ukraine. She stated that Ukraine had turned into a poor, dying region and lost its independence as a result of events that began in November 2013.
According to Zakharova, Western colonizers determine Ukraine’s domestic and foreign policy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has been waging war against Ukraine for almost 21 months to bring parts of the country back under Moscow’s control. The so-called Euromaidan protests, which later took place in Ukraine and were known as the Revolution of Dignity, began on November 21 when protesters gathered on Maidan (Independence Square) in Kyiv. They demonstrated against Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to annul an agreement on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, which led to more than 100 deaths in clashes with security forces. On Tuesday, this event will be marked in Kyiv by a gathering of international dignitaries who will remember the beginning of the protest.
