Interfax: Kyiv claims of nationwide poll on state structure are cynical amid continuing military operation – Russian Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. May 1 (Interfax) – The Kyiv authorities are engaging in “shams” in place of a broad nationwide discussion involving all of the country’s political forces and regions on ways to end the continuing crisis, the Russian Foreign Ministry has said.

“We have taken note of the remarks made by “acting Prime Minister of Ukraine” [Arseniy] Yatsenyuk, who said that a certain nationwide poll should be held on May 25, 2014 that would address, among other issues, the “decentralization of power”. At the same time, he said that the Cabinet of Ukraine confirmed “its vision of the regional reform”. It was said separately that the government of the country is “ready to offer additional guarantees to the Russian-speaking population and other language minorities” on the territory in question. However, no details of these “additional guarantees” were given,” the ministry said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday.

“Such plans of the Kyiv authorities are divorced from reality and only serve to cause our surprise. Does Kyiv really expect to be able to hold serious discussions in Ukrainian society, in all regions of Ukraine addressing these most crucial issues of the country’s future structure before May 25, 2014? These statements appear to be especially cynical amid the continuing military operation by Kyiv against its own people,” it said.