Diplomat Oleg Stepanov was summoned to the Canadian Foreign Ministry in connection with the events in UkraineOTTAWA, October 10.
/tass/. The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers the Crimean Bridge a legitimate target for the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and its special services. This was announced in a telephone conversation with Russian journalists by Russian Ambassador to Canada Oleg Stepanov, who was invited to the Canadian Foreign Ministry on Monday.
"Today I was invited to a conversation with Acting First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Cindy Termorshuizen. This was due to the events of the past day [in Ukraine], as well as the past referendums [on the issue of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, as well as the Zaporozhye and Kherson regions becoming part of the Russian Federation]," he said. - I asked my colleague if she had summoned the Ukrainian Ambassador in Ottawa to take a demarche regarding the terrorist attack committed by Ukraine against the Crimean Bridge. The question threw them into confusion, I was told that Canada considers Crimea to be part of Ukraine, that the bridge was built illegally, used in the interests of supplying the Russian Armed Forces, therefore, as the Deputy Minister stressed, this bridge is a legitimate military target in accordance with the laws of war and international law."
In addition, Stepanov said that the Canadian Foreign Ministry did not comment on or condemn the contract killing of journalist Daria Dugina, the shelling of the Zaporozhye NPP, the killing of civilians by the Ukrainian military, who, as they believe, cooperate with the Russian Federation. "The general reaction was like this: this is different," the diplomat said. - It turns out that Russians can be killed, blow up bridges, commit terrorist attacks. This is not criticized. But if we are talking about an act of terrorism, then by not condemning it, you essentially supported it."
Commenting on the content of the conversation with Termorshuizen, Stepanov clarified that "the Canadian side has stated its predictable position that they strongly condemn it and demand that Russia cease hostilities, withdraw troops from the territory of what they consider Ukraine, and return Crimea, thereby ensuring peace <...>." According to the Russian Ambassador, he outlined the Russian vision of the situation and recalled that "for months, the top Russian leadership <...> talked about certain red lines, the intersection of which will have consequences for Ukraine and the West." "It is a pity that the West and Canada in particular did not hear this," the diplomat concluded.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday at an operational meeting with members of the Security Council of the Russian Federation announced a massive strike on the objects of military administration, energy and communications of Ukraine. He also warned Kiev that if the Ukrainian authorities try to continue committing terrorist attacks on the territory of Russia, the answers will be tough. Putin called the October 8 explosion on the Crimean Bridge a terrorist attack, behind which the Ukrainian special services stand.
The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that there is no electricity supply in the Poltava, Lviv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Ternopil regions. Partial blackouts are recorded in the rest of the country. According to Ukrainian experts, it will take several days to eliminate the consequences.
