Russian Envoy to Canada Says Summoned to Foreign Ministry Over Recent Events, Referendums
21:10 GMT 10.10.2022 (Updated: 01:04 GMT 11.10.2022)
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WASHINGTON, (Sputnik) - Russian Ambassador to Ottawa Oleg Stepanov told reporters on Monday that he was called to the Global Affairs Canada this afternoon over the events of the last day as well as the recent referendums.
"Today I was invited for a conversation with Cindy Termorshuizen, Director General of International Security Policy. It was concerning the events of the past day as well as the recent referendums," Stepanov said.
He noted that the Canadian side "outlined its predictable position, that they 'utterly condemn' what’s happening and what’s happened and demand that Russia ends its military activity, withdraws its forces from the territory of what they [Canada] consider to be Ukraine, return everything including Crimea and this provide the peace."
"And while it does not happen, Ottawa and it’s allies will continue to support Ukraine and try to achieve that Russia and its representatives are held accountable for what they consider to be illegal aggression," he said.
Stepanov further said that "of course, the presentation of the material was such that we are allegedly targeting civilians, civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, which is completely unacceptable."
"Well, this is such a classic mantra of theirs, Let's say so," he added.
The diplomat said that in response, he "set out in sufficient detail our vision of the Ukrainian story, recalled that for months the top leadership of Russia, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Houses of Parliament, and our deputies have been talking about certain red lines, the crossing of which will have consequences for Ukraine and the West."
"It is a pity that in the West and in Canada in particular this was not heard," Stepanov said.
The envoy further noted that he asked his Canadian colleague whether they summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to Ottawa for a "talk in order to make a demarche regarding the terrorist attack committed by Ukraine against the Kerch, Crimean bridge."
"This question puzzled them. I was told that Canada considers Crimea to be part of Ukraine. That the bridge was built illegally, that the bridge is used in the interests of supplying the Russian armed forces within its own framework, therefore, as Madam Deputy Minister emphasized, this is legitimate, this bridge is a legitimate military target," he said, adding that the Canadian side refused to answer whether they approved of the bridge strike that killed five civilians.
Then I said, dear colleagues, for several months we have been observing the position of the Trudeau cabinet regarding what is happening and have not heard, for example, a word of condemnation, when a journalist Daria Dugina was killed in Moscow on the order of the Kiev regime and the special services of Ukraine.
He lamented that Russia did not hear a single word of condemnation from Canada on Ukraine's attacks against civilians and infrastructure, including a nuclear power plant.
"From Canada, we did not hear condemnation when Ukraine was essentially engaged in acts of nuclear terrorism, shelling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, in this case, it is somehow strange for me to hear what they are now trying to put on my mind for attacks on energy and transport infrastructure of Ukraine, which were used, starting in 2014, to conduct a punitive terrorist inhumane operation against ordinary citizens of the east of Ukraine," Stepanov said.
Earlier in the day, Stepanov told Sputnik that he had been summoned to Global Affairs Canada.
On Monday, Moscow launched massive strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure facilities using precision-guided weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at an operational meeting with Russia's Security Council.
The move came following Saturday's blast on the Crimean bridge, which Putin called a terrorist attack aimed at destroying civilian infrastructure. According to the Russian president, Ukraine was also behind three terrorist attacks against the Kursk nuclear power plant and attempts to undermine the TurkStream gas pipeline. The Russian leader said that, through its continued terrorist activities, Kiev has put itself on par with the most odious terrorist groups, and vowed to harshly respond to such crimes.
Russia Demands Ottawa Boost Security of Diplomatic Missions, But Canada Unwilling
“As for employees in Montreal and Toronto, we are mobilized inside, we try to protect the perimeters of our missions on our own, and we are in contact with the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, mounted police and municipal authorities. We demand from the Canadian side that the security regime of our diplomatic missions be strengthened,” Stepanov said.
The diplomat noted that the Canadian side says that their patrols in the areas of the Russian diplomatic missions are enough to ensure security.
“But we say that this is not so. The consequences can be catastrophic, the police arrive in a few minutes, we see no desire on the Canadian side to take preventive steps to protect our diplomatic missions from such terrorist attacks,” he said, adding that a police car stationed near the diplomatic mission is needed.
“We explain our logic to the Canadian side that in any moments, throwing eggs, Molotov cocktails, none of the perpetrators were apprehended,” Stepanov shared. “They come after [an incident] and can only testify to the damage, and we, Russia, as the responsible party to the Vienna Convention, we protect all diplomats in Moscow all the time. Here very often there is no police. We try to ensure the safety of our employees, our families on our own. living and working here is not easy.”
With regards to the incident with the Molotov cocktail in September, Stepanov said that the Canadian police are investigating the incident but no interim results have been provided.
At the end of September, the Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Canadian ambassador in Moscow Alison LeClaire, and issued a strong demarche over the attack on the Russian embassy in Ottawa.
LeClaire was notified that Russia strongly objects to the criminal actions of the unidentified person who threw the Molotov cocktail onto the territory of the Russian embassy in Ottawa. The ministry also conveyed its strong protest regarding another incident that saw aggressive demonstrators block access to the service entrance of the consular department at the Russian embassy while a police squad that had arrived at the scene failed to act.
The ministry also demanded that Canada take immediate measures to ensure the security of Russian diplomatic missions.
