REUTERS

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine expects a response from the UK authorities regarding the appearance of the Ukrainian National Coat of Arms Tryzub (Trident) in the UK Police Counter Terrorism Policing Guide.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine took note of the information in the UK media about the fact that the Ukrainian National Coat of Arms has been put onto the Counter Terrorism Policing Guide, distributed by the British law enforcement agencies," the ministry said in a statement on its website on January 20.

The Coat of Arms of Ukraine originates in the Kyivan Rus times and is one of the symbols of unity of Ukrainians, it said.

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"It is widely used by the Ukrainian public authorities and common Ukrainians alike. Any attempt to link the Coat of Arms of Ukraine to extremism offends millions of Ukrainians at home and abroad," Ukrainian diplomats said.

Read alsoUkraine's Embassy in UK demands Tryzub be removed from Extremism Guide

"We are looking forward to an official comment from the British Foreign Office and the Police. We assume it will be released soon. In case the discussed fact is confirmed, we demand that Ukrainian state symbols are removed from the document," reads the statement.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Ukrainian Embassy in the United Kingdom had expressed outrage over the fact that the Ukrainian National Coat of Arms had been put onto the Counter Terrorism Policing Guide.

The Guide, which was prepared by British law enforcers, was published by The Guardian on January 17.

It also features the Ukrainian Azov Regiment's insignia.

Journalists drew attention to the fact that the document includes not only the insignia of leftist and rightist movements, but also those of environmental organizations (in particular, Greenpeace) and animal protection movements.