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A news anchor in Ireland cooked on the grill Russian the ambassador to Ireland during a TV interview, at one point calling him an “apologist for the murder” and denying allegations that it was “not [Russia’s] choice ”to begin with war against Ukraine.
RTE News journalist David McCullough spoke with Ambassador Yuri Filatov on Friday. In an interview, McCallug asked the ambassador why Ireland should continue to allow Filatov to stay in Ireland, given this week’s events in Ukraine.
“Why should our government entertain your presence here when you are acting as an apologist for the assassination?” McCallug asked.
“Well, that’s a good question,” Filatov replied. “You can ask your government. It all depends on them. I can leave at any time.”
Earlier, the ambassador said that the war in the Luhansk region of Ukraine has been going on for almost eight years, and claimed that it was “conducted by the Kiev regime against the people of Donbass and Luhansk.”
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“I’m sorry, Ambassador,” said McCall, “but Russia has started this war.” It was inflamed by Russia. It was continued by Russia. Russia is arming separatists in the areas you mentioned. “
“They didn’t,” Filatov replied.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the people of Kyiv, February 25, 2022.
(Press service of the President of Ukraine via AP)
The ambassador continued: “It was started [Ukraine] the government that came to power in 2014 and for all, the only reason was that the people in the republics of the region, that they simply rejected – that they did not accept – the new regime, which was all about mutating Ukraine. They wanted to keep their language, Russian, speak it, leave the room of real life and just put it wrong. They were victims of an old operation to suppress them, they suppressed them. “
“Russian version of events”
McCall then accused the ambassador of presenting a “Russian version of events” and asked Filatov why RTE viewers should “believe the Russian version of events if Russia misleads us in recent weeks.”
The ambassador replied that he did not think that the Russian government was misleading anyone.
McCall then pointed to a statement the ambassador made just 10 days ago, saying the allegations of a Russian invasion against Ukraine were ridiculous.
“We have no plans to invade anyone, let alone Ukraine,” Filatov said said Feb. 16.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin.
(Associated Press)
“We have neither political, nor economic, nor military [any] another reason for this. The whole idea is crazy, ”Filatau said earlier.
“Not our choice”
Filatov initially declined to comment when McCullough spoke, but later said the invasion was “not our choice.”
McCallug didn’t buy it.
“Your forces invaded a sovereign nation. It was absolutely your choice,” said the host.
“Well, it was not our choice,” – said Filatov. “If you’re a little patient, you’d listen to what they say. We tried our best to resolve the situation politically through the Minsk process. They failed. It became clear that Kiev simply does not want to sit in the forum of the Minsk agreements, much less in favor of the republics. They just used this diplomacy as a cover to prepare for their offensive. “
The “Minsk process” refers to a number of agreements that came after Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian soldier passes by houses in the village of Novolugansk, Luhansk region of Ukraine, Saturday, February 19, 2022.
(Associated Press)
McCall said there was “no evidence” to support the ambassador’s allegations.
“There is no evidence. You expect the world to believe that Kiev was waiting for about 200,000 troops grouped on its borders to launch an offensive. It’s ridiculous to use your own words,” McCullah said.
The interview took place on the second day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a “special military operation” in Ukraine on Thursday morning local time, saying that “our confrontation with these [Ukrainian] strength is inevitable. ”