Russia

Russian Defense Ministry Tells UK's Wallace to Learn History After Crimean War Remarks

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov responded on Wednesday to UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace's claims that the United Kingdom is ready to strike at Russian interests by recommending UK troops to learn more about Russian history.
Sputnik
Earlier in the day, Wallace, a former Scots Guards officer, said that his regiment "kicked the backside" of Russia in the Crimean War and compared Russian President Vladimir Putin to Czar Nicholas I.

"We recommend British troops to study well not only Russia's geography but also its history in order to avoid enriching our shared military history with their lives for the benefit of ill-educated British politicians", Konashenkov said.

The spokesman also reminded Wallace of the so-called Charge of the Light Brigade, when the UK light cavalry was massacred by the Russian artillery during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean war.

"It is precisely this 'feat' of the Englishmen in the Crimean War that gave the term 'cannon fodder' to all the world's languages and military textbooks", Konashenkov added.

On Monday, Putin signed decrees recognising the independence of the people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk and agreements on cooperation and mutual assistance with them. Under the new documents, Moscow will ensure the security of the two Russian-speaking entities. The decision followed prompted a wave of criticism from Western countries, including the UK.
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