"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is extremely disturbed by the fact of the criminal desecration of the national symbol of Ukraine in Russia – the burning of the National Flag amid an attack on the premises of the National Culture Centre of Ukraine in Moscow by a group of young radicals on November 22, 2016," the ministry said in a statement on November 23.
Read alsoKyiv-appointed head of Ukrainian Cultural Center in Moscow intimidated by Russian personnelThe regularity of attacks on the center located in the heart of the Russian capital and the absence of proper reaction by the law enforcement agencies prove that these are masterminded and authorized acts, the statement said.
"These events around the Ukrainian institution that is engaged in solely peaceful, educational activity are considered by Ukraine as a blatant act of provocation aimed at inciting hatred between the nations and artificial imposition of aggression against Ukraine in Russian society," the ministry said.
UNIAN memo. The Centre offers courses of the Ukrainian language, it also houses a Ukrainian book shop and a library named after Ukrainian actor Bohdan Stupka. Every year, the library arranges about 60 exhibitions of books, documents and other materials on the occasion of national holidays of Ukraine and anniversaries of prominent Ukrainians. The library is popular mostly with representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora in Russia, undergraduate and graduate students, students of courses of the Ukrainian language.