Russia sees Ukraine violence as coup d’etat attempt – Putin’s spokesman

(Interfax – February 19, 2014) Russian President Vladimir Putin blames “extremists” for the latest events in Ukraine, his spokesman Dmitriy Peskov told privately-owned news agency Interfax on 19 February.

“The president thinks that it is extremists who are fully responsible for what is happening in Ukraine now. Moscow has supported and keeps supporting a dialogue with all civilized political forces in Ukraine,” Peskov said.

Russia also condemns radicals for violence and interprets their actions as an attempt at a coup d’etat, he was quoted as saying in another report.

“Moscow strongly condemns violence on the part of radical elements who actually, in violation of all agreements reached earlier, took advantage of the fact that conditions on the amnesty of those detained earlier were fulfilled and immediately resorted to violent actions,” Peskov said adding that “their actions can be and are interpreted in Moscow exclusively as an attempt at a coup d’etat”.

Commenting on the possibility of a settlement, he said “according to President Putin, it is the exclusive prerogative of the Ukraine’s legitimate leadership [to decide] how and in what way to achieve the settlement of this situation”.