“They didn’t hear who finally defeated Nazism”: how in Russia they reacted to Klimkin’s words about Victory Day

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavel Klimkin said that Russia allegedly does not have a “moral right” to celebrate Victory Day over Nazism. He also called for "not succumbing to Moscow provocations with history" and to win the "historical war" from Russia.

“I believe that Russia does not have the moral right to celebrate this holiday ... Russia uses this day to mobilize and promote new wars, such as ours, such as in Georgia, and to build an absolutely new model,” - said Klimkin.

The ex-Foreign Minister of Ukraine also said that the European and Ukrainian tradition "perceives the war as it was," and is based on the principle of "never again."

As a member of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Franz Klintsevich noted, the former head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Pavel Klimkin, is the ideologist of disseminating the ideas of extreme nationalism in Ukraine.

“The attitude of the current official Ukraine to the Second World War is the rehabilitation of Hitler’s accomplice Stepan Bandera, marches of his followers, which take place with the tacit consent of the authorities. And Pavel Klimkin, being a long time Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, one of the ideologists of planting in the country of extreme nationalism, had a direct hand. So in his mouth the high words that “never again” are not simply ambiguous. They are blasphemous, ”the senator wrote on Facebook.

He emphasized that both Russians and Ukrainians will always celebrate Victory Day.

“So that this never really happens again. True, Klimkin and others like him have nothing to do with this Great Holiday, ”Klintsevich added.

In turn, a member of the Federation Council committee on international affairs, Crimean Senator Sergei Tsekov, in an interview with RT, added that Klimkin’s position in Ukraine is shared by that part of the population that continues to support former President Petro Poroshenko.

“I think that the time will come, some kind of force will be formed that will oppose such personalities as Klimkin. Few listen to him, and those who listen do not really reckon with his point of view, ”the parliamentarian said, emphasizing that from a political point of view Klimkin is“ a zero figure ”today.

At the same time, State Duma deputy Ruslan Balbek noted that such statements are an attempt by the ex-Foreign Minister of Ukraine to attract attention.

“By the way, we never heard from the ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine who did defeat Nazism.” And I’m sure that by asking him this question we won’t get a clear answer ... I think that with his statement he once again confirmed the reputation of a brawler, ”the source said.

In his opinion, Klimkin represents "not the state, but only himself, a person with a tarnished political reputation."

On May 6, the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory published a video in which the head of the institution, Anton Drobovich, compared Russia to Nazi invaders. In his opinion, Kiev is currently fighting with an “aggressor” who is encroaching on Ukrainian territory, threatening peace in Europe and trying to destroy the international security system.

“This fight has been going on daily for six years and we have no right to lose, because just like 75 years ago, we protect our native land,” he said.

In addition, the head of the institute of national memory said that during the years of World War II, Ukrainians were “forced” to fight for “other people's interests”, and sometimes against each other.

Later, Drobovich also admitted that in Ukraine the day off on May 9 would be canceled.

On May 7, a joint article by the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia was published in the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. The authors of the material, in particular, stated that the USSR allegedly “used the victory in World War II as an excuse for its policy for many years”, and also allegedly appropriated the common exploits of millions of soldiers of the Allied countries in the anti-Hitler coalition.

“Now we see new attempts to divide Europe into secret spheres of interest and unscrupulously use force to try to annex the territories of a sovereign nation,” said a statement by Dmitry Kuleba, Linas Linkevichus, Edgars Rinkevich and Urmas Reinsalu.