Ukraine’s fugitive saviors

Ukraine Salvation Committee has been presented in Moscow. Every committee member has one thing in common – they are on the wanted list of the Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. 

Head of the newfound committee is a known "reformer" and the legendary linguist, ex-prime minister of Ukraine Mykola Azarov. He fled from justice to Russia along with the co-founders of the organization – former Ukrainian MPs Volodymyr Oliynyk and Ihor Markov.

The presentation was held in one of Moscow’s most luxurious hotels - "Ukraina", where Viktor Yanukovych [Ukraine’s ousted ex-president] had stayed in a EUR 10,000 suite while visiting the Russian capital at the time of his presidency.

Despite the fact that the famous fugitive ostrich-lover Yanukovych also currently resides in Russia and is put on the wanted list, as well as Azarov, the “ saviors” decided to dissociate themselves from the former boss.

“Regarding Viktor Yanukovych: I find it difficult to answer – I’ve worked with him for many years. He was different [in different periods of time]… At the final stage, that was a very different Yanukovych, unfortunately. We have decided that the committee should not include those who have been closely associated with Ukraine’s former president,” Azarov told reporters innocently.

Volodymyr Oliynyk, one of the authors of the "dictatorship laws” of the times of the Maidan [the package of regulations that restricted civic rights and enhanced criminal prosecution of protesters and sparked another wave of popular unrest among Maidan supporters], was presented as "presidential candidate" from the "committee". It was announced that the "committee members" would demand early elections at all levels in Ukraine, but they seem to plan achieving their aim from Moscow.

Volodymyr Oliynyk / kp.ua

After a brief lyrical digression, with just a ripple of applause by Russian journalists, Mr.Oliynyk called for Ukrainians to organize riots, to help their "professional team" to return to power.

“Unite! Don’t be afraid! Go out on protest rallies, protect your constitutional rights” If millions go out on the streets in Ukraine, then that authorities will flee,” Oliynyk said, apparently trying to inspire admonished Russian journalists (the bulk of this play’s audience).

According to the self-proclaimed candidate from the wanted list, Ukraine must urgently fulfill all the requirements of his Kremlin bosses: direct negotiations with the militants and federalization, as a result; the official status of the Russian language as the second state language; and legislative cementing of Ukraine’s neutral non-aligned status. According to Oliynyk, the Ukrainian territory of Crimea had been lost due to the coup, not a Russian invasion.

“What would I do as president of Ukraine? After inauguration, I would immediately sign a decree on withdrawal of troops to their permanent locations and, instead of going to the banquet, I would go to Luhansk and Donetsk, where I would fall on my kneed in front of the Ukrainian people and would beg all Ukrainian mothers for forgiveness, as this criminal power unleashed a fratricidal war,” said Oliynyk, trying to move the audience to tears.

By the way, even though the meeting was devoted to "saving Ukraine", the moderator granted the first questions at a press conference to the leading Russian mass media; in fact, they were asking the most questions.

Azarov stated that the Ukrainian mass media were to blame for all the troubles of the Ukrainian people.

“Mass media in Ukraine have now turned into mass disinformation resources. Your media brainwash people – either calling Russia an aggressor, either claiming that the militants shelled themselves,” said Azarov, recommending to follow him on Facebook in order to know the truth and be aware of all the latest events.

REUTERS

The “committee members” particularly stressed Russia’s non-involvement in the war in Donbas. Answering the question of an UNIAN correspondent, what kind "civil war" that is if at least three Russian military (Aleksandr Aleksandrov, Yevgeny Yerofeyev and Vladimir Starkov) were detained in Ukraine recently, Mykola Azarov has again decided to accuse the Ukrainian media of incompetence.

“According to the data I have, 90% of the rebels are indigenous residents of Donetsk and Luhansk regions,” Azarov said, strongly recommending to recheck information, “During this year, there have been no cases when information on Russian soldiers that had been reported by your media - UNIAN, Ukrinform and so on - was confirmed.

Obviously, Azarov has not seen testimonies by the Russian troops published on the Internet.

The participants told the audience that the “committee” has its supporters in Ukraine, but "they still lay low”.

“Unfortunately, Ukraine’s Salvation Committee is being established beyond Ukraine’s borders, but I have no doubt that we will return,” said Azarov.

“Today we are fugitives, tomorrow they [current Ukrainian authorities] will be [just like us],” Oliynyk echoed.

Roman Tsymbalyuk, UNIAN-Moscow

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