MOSCOW, April 21 (RIA Novosti) – A deadly militant attack on a checkpoint in Ukraine's Slaviansk on Easter Sunday is a crime that only benefitted those who seek to violate the Geneva agreement arrived at last Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference Monday.
"The fact that a group of armed extremists appeared in Slaviansk on Easter Sunday and without any warning opened fire at unarmed people at the checkpoint is simply outrageous,” Lavrov said.
“It is a crime that is beneficial only to those who seek to violate the implementation of the Geneva agreements,” he added. The Kiev authorities “cannot, and, maybe, do not even want to control the actions of extremists.”
The Ukrainian Interior Ministry confirmed Sunday that three people, including two local citizens, were killed and three others were injured in an overnight shootout in the city. The insignia of Right Sector was reportedly found at the scene of the attack.
Federalization supporters in Kharkiv, Donetsk, Gorlovka, Slaviansk and Kramatorsk have refused to recognize the legitimacy of the current Ukrainian government and have been holding rallies since March. In response, Ukraine’s interim authorities have launched a special operation to crack down on the protests. Moscow has denounced Kiev's actions.
