ST. PETERSBURG, May 15 (RIA Novosti) – The Ukrainian crisis was triggered by the US and NATO, according to Pyotr Tolochko, a professor at Ukraine’s National Academy of Science.
"In essence, it is a tragedy, a tragedy that was provoked by the Americans and NATO members. Before my eyes, dozens of representatives of the Western countries have visited the Maidan,” said Tolochko, speaking at the 14th Likhachev International Scientific Conference in St. Petersburg.
“At this time, Western Ukraine started to disobey the central government," said Tolochko, Director of the Institute of Archaeology.
“If Western Ukraine can show insubordination, then Eastern Ukraine can do so as well. Go check the hubbub by the Americans and the Europeans, their shouts ‘How can you let southeastern Ukraine take up arms?’ The whole Western Ukraine is armed. We have two powers now – a puppet government on the Pechora hills and the Maidan, which consists of Right Sector members, who are basically fascists," the professor said.
"The east and the south of the country do not want to live in such a Ukraine. The US is saying, that the southeast has no right to self-determination," the professor said, adding that the region is only seeking cultural autonomy, the right to speak Russian, as well as economic independence.
Following a regime change in late February, the citizens of the predominantly Russian-speaking southeastern regions of Ukraine refused to recognize the legitimacy of the country’s interim government and called for federalization and referendums on greater autonomy, with rallies sweeping through the region.
Acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov launched a special operation last month to crack down on pro-federalization protests. Ukrainian troops encircled the city of Slaviansk in a bid to wrest control from pro-referendum demonstrators and self-defense forces. At least a dozen protesters and civilians have been killed in hostilities in the city so far.
Russia has called the Western-backed military operation against the protesters a “punitive act,” and accused Ukraine’s authorities of waging a war against their own people.
During a visit to Kiev in April, US Vice President Joe Biden said the United States would provide the crisis-hit country with a new $50 million aid package to help with economic and political reforms.
The visit of US Vice President Joseph Biden to Kiev and the subsequent restart of a military operation against protesters demonstrated Washington’s control over the actions of Ukrainian authorities, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an English-language interview with the RT network.
