Ukraine responds as Russia accuses it of working to strain relationship with Nigeria

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ivan Kholostenko, has accused Russia of deliberately sabotaging international food security by withdrawing from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and targeting Ukrainian grain exports. Kholostenko was reacting to claims by Russia and other countries linking the Eastern European country with sponsoring protests in Nigeria. Daily Trust had reported how the Russian […]

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ivan Kholostenko, has accused Russia of deliberately sabotaging international food security by withdrawing from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and targeting Ukrainian grain exports.

Kholostenko was reacting to claims by Russia and other countries linking the Eastern European country with sponsoring protests in Nigeria.

Daily Trust had reported how the Russian Government claimed that the United States, Britain and Ukraine were linking it to sponsoring protests in Nigeria to destroy the cordial relationship between the countries.

In a statement, Yury Paramonov, official Press Secretary of the Russian embassy in Nigeria, accused Ukraine of attempting to meddle in Nigeria’s internal matters and shift blame onto Russia.

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Responding, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ivan Kholostenko, in a statement, condemned the Russian regime and its actions on the global stage.

Kholostenko also described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, as an “unprovoked and unjustified aggressive war” aimed at fully occupying Ukraine and erasing its national identity.

He said: “Ukraine knows perfectly well what the Russian regime is. And we would like to refer to the truthful facts.

“The truth is that the Russian army commits awful and numerous war crimes and atrocities in the territory of Ukraine every day. Russians kill, rape and torture civilians, including women and children.”

He further cited the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin, for the “unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied territories”, as evidence of Russia’s disregard for international law.

“All these atrocities and war crimes have been and still are being committed under Russian flags,” Kholostenko said.

He vowed that Russia would face just punishment under international law for its actions.