Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Sunday rejected a British claim that President Vladimir Putin is seeking to replace Ukraine’s government with a pro-Moscow administration.
Britain’s Foreign Office claimed on Saturday that former Ukrainian Member of Parliament Yevheniy Murayev is a Kremlin-backed candidate to replace Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Other politicians were also listed by the office, which claimed some of them “have contact with Russian intelligence officers currently involved in the planning for an attack on Ukraine.”
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Murayev told the Associated Press the British claim “looks ridiculous and funny.” He also said he has been denied entry to Russia since 2018.
“Everything that does not support the pro-Western path of development of Ukraine is automatically pro-Russian,” Murayev told the outlet.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss accused five different former Ukrainian officials of “maintain[ing] links” with Russian intelligence officers on Saturday, adding “some of these have contact with Russian intelligence officers currently involved in the planning for an attack on Ukraine.” She claimed the information released by the office “shines a light on the extent of Russian activity designed to subvert Ukraine and is an insight into Kremlin thinking.”
Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia announced on Friday that President Joe Biden’s administration allowed the three Baltic states to donate U.S.-made weapons to the Ukrainian military. British officials have also provided new armaments, and Western officials, including Biden, have vowed to impose new economic sanctions on Russia if Putin proceeds.
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Putin’s team acknowledged the increasing likelihood of additional conflict in Ukraine on Thursday, a day after Biden threatened sanctions on Russia. The country also warned Japan to stay out of the brewing Ukraine crisis after U.S. officials touted a “close alignment” with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
