PRESS RELEASE

U.S. Pushed Ukraine into Civil War, Says Russian Defense Official

Nov. 28, 2014 (EIRNS)—Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told a conference of defense chiefs in Colombo, Sri Lanka, yesterday, that Washington’s endorsement of the un-constitutional coup in Ukraine last February, drove that country to the verge of civil war.

"The latest example of it [pursuing US agenda in former Soviet republics] is pushing Ukraine to the edge by supporting the Maidan [protests] and the anti-constitutional coup," Antonov said. He added, according to Sputnik News, that the ongoing protests in Hong Kong very much resemble Maidan protests in Ukraine, warning of the danger of so-called color revolutions that are "destabilizing the situation in the one or the other region of the world." He argued that such protests are organized by Western political strategists taking advantage of "socio-economic difficulties, the presence of various conflicts on ethnic and religious grounds. Under the guise of spreading democracy, they throw populist slogans into the fire of popular discontent, provoking mass protests."

Antonov also targeted US missile defense plans for Asia. "In playing off the thesis of the growing North Korean nuclear missile threat, Washington is actively dragging the countries in the region into executing their plans of implementing their global missile shield," he said. Antonov said the creation of military potential by Washington "considerably exceeds the level needed to neutralize existing and potential missile threats." He added that "In actuality, the US global missile defense system is geared at undermining regional and international security and is a serious threat for the Asia-Pacific Region."

Antonov was speaking at the inaugural meeting of the South and South East Asian Nations (SA-SEAN) Defence Chiefs Dialogue, hosted by the defense ministry of Sri Lanka in Colombo. "The objectives of the SA-SEAN are to promote regional peace and stability through dialogue and cooperation in the spheres of defence and security, to promote mutual trust and confidence through greater understanding of defence and security challenges, transparency and openness, and to contribute to the establishment of a SASEAN Security Community," says the posting on it on the Sri Lankan defense ministry website. The meeting was opened by the Sri Lanka defense chief, and the keynote address was delivered by Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

"It is our belief," said Rajapaksa, "that the creation of a platform of this nature will enable a free and frank exchange of views and discussion on issues of mutual interest. This will help to improve intermilitary understanding and cooperation within the region."

The meeting opened Nov. 28 and runs through Nov. 29.