Dr. Efraim Zuroff, a historical analyst, confessed that he was very much surprised by anti-Semitic remarks made by Vasyl Marushchynets, working at Ukraine's consulate in Hamburg.
"I was a bit surprised because consuls are supposed to know how to conduct themselves. Or even if they have anti-Semitic and anti-gay or anti-Roma views, they are not supposed to express them publicly — neither in their jobs as diplomats, or on social media," Zuroff told Sputnik.
Commenting on the situation with anti-Semitism in Ukraine, the expert noted that this is a quite serious challenge for the country.
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"I think those people who observe the situation in Ukraine, are aware of the fact that this is a country that has significant problems dealing with anti-Semitism," he said, pointing out the "ongoing efforts to distort the history of the Holocaust, including the glorification of people like Bandera and Shushkevich, who were the commanders of units which murdered Jews during initial months of the Nazi invasion."
The analyst also expressed his opinion on how the diplomat's remarks would affect the current government in Kiev. He noted that the Ukrainian authorities are "sensitive" to such kinds of incidents, but stressed that the efforts to counter radical groups, which are on the rise in Ukraine, are insufficient.
"This is a very serious problem in Ukraine, it's obvious. If the government itself is actively involved in changing the narrative of WWII and the Holocaust to hide crimes of Ukrainians and to glorify people who were involved in killing Jews, obviously the message from the top is the wrong message," Zuroff said.
Earlier this week, Vasyl Marushchynets, a diplomat at Ukraine's consulate in Hamburg, blamed Jews for World War II on his Facebook page using the phrase "death to the anti-fascists."
A German foreign ministry spokesman said that such statements are totally unacceptable.
Responding to the incident, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin wrote in his Twitter that "anti-Semitism and those who stir up inter-ethnic discord can have no place either in civilized society or in the foreign ministry." The ministry said earlier that the diplomat has been suspended and the question of recalling him is being considered.
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Russian media have been covering and drawing international attention to annual marches held by radical groups in Ukraine and the expansion of populist and nationalist views among the nation's youth.
Ukraine has so far denied allegations made by Moscow that extremist nationalist attitudes are gaining the upper hand in Ukraine.
The views expressed in this article are those of the analyst and do not necessarily reflect those of Sputnik.
