Interfax: Russian top MP says Ukraine to harm itself with sanctions against Moscow
(Interfax – Moscow, August 13, 2014) By shelling Russian territory, Ukraine would like to provoke a prolonged conflict with it and Russia’s response should be extremely careful, head of the Russian State Duma International Affairs Committee Aleksey Pushkov (One Russia faction) has said.
“Our actions must be extremely level-headed. After all this could entail a prolonged conflict and Ukraine will be supported by the EU and the USA and this is partly the aim behind their actions. Patrolling Ukrainian airspace by our aircraft could provoke the start of this conflict,” Pushkov said on Wednesday [13 August] in a meeting with residents of Balaklava [in Sevastopol] as he was answering a question on why Russia was remaining silent in response to the shelling of its territory.
Pushkov, who was quoted by One Russia’s press service, said that “all of Kiev’s statements to the effect that Russian territory is being shelled by the militia amount to deceit”.
Pushkov also believes that the Ukrainian authorities had not parted with the idea of returning Crimea.
As for possible sanctions against Russia, then they are suicidal for Ukraine, Pushkov said.
“Sanctions, which were loudly promoted the other day, will also harm the republic [of Ukraine] itself. There is nothing much national in official Kiev’s latest actions. In particular, the suicidal initiative to stop the transit of Russian gas to Europe attests to this,” Pushkov said.
Pushkov also said that social stability in Crimea was one of the top priorities today.
“We will do everything so as to provide the consolidation of society. We understand that not all parts of the Crimean society supported the process of merging with Russia. However, at the same time, our position is as follows: the majority of the population who cast the “yes” vote has the right for its point of view to be the main one. And any attempts to split society and heat up the inter-ethnic situation will be swiftly stopped,” Pushkov said.