MOSCOW, September 10 (RIA Novosti) – The Ukrainian crisis is rooted in the lack of a mechanism of punishing for racism and xenophobia, the vice-chairman of the Presidium of the Moscow-based World Without Nazism organization said Wednesday.
“The mechanism of punishing for racism and xenophobia is absent in Ukraine. When crimes are committed on the basis of hatred, they are classified as domestic crimes. That is the root of the Ukrainian problem,” Valery Engel said at the International Information Agency Rossiya Segodnya press conference.
At the press conference, a group of scientists presented the White Book of Nazism, a fundamental study of radical nationalism in modern Europe, carried out by the World Without Nazism organization.
The scientists conducted a comprehensive analysis of xenophobia, neo-Nazism, radical nationalism and extremism. They studied the legal basis, judicial practice, political programs and the activity of national-radicals and anti-fascist organizations.
The work was carried out in 19 European countries, including Ukraine, Moldova and Russia.
Russia has repeatedly blamed the political crisis in Ukraine on violent rhetoric by ultranationalists and neo-Nazis, who rose to political prominence as a result of a coup in February that overthrew former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.
On May 2, clashes in Odesa broke out between pro-federalization activists on one side and fans of the Odesa and Kharkiv football teams on the other, later joined by Euromaidan activists.
Pro-Kiev radicals joined by the Right Sector armed forces blocked the anti-government protesters in the House of Trade Unions and set the building on fire by hurling Molotov cocktails inside.
Those trapped inside had little chance of extinguishing the blaze, as fire hoses in the building were out of order. Many jumped to their deaths through windows attempting to escape the inferno, while others were just simply shot. At least 48 people died, over 20 injured in the fire and clashes.
Russia has repeatedly called on the human rights organizations to investigate the Odesa tragedy.
