By Gift Habib
Tension is escalating between Russia and Ukraine, as both countries exchanged sharp statements over allegations of interference in Nigeria’s domestic affairs.
The Russian Government on Friday issued a stern warning to the United States, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom for accusing it of sponsoring protests in Nigeria.
Russia, in a release, said the countries should rather be blamed for attempting to interfere in Nigeria’s internal affairs and undermine its bilateral relations with Russia.
The warning comes amid growing concerns over foreign influence following the October 1st protests across Nigeria.
The protests followed earlier demonstrations on August 1, which were sparked by dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, including the removal of fuel and electricity subsidies and the devaluation of the naira.
During the August protests in Kano, several protesters were arrested after waving Russian flags, raising concerns of foreign interference.
The presence of the flags raised an alarm among Nigerians given Russia’s growing presence in West Africa.
In continuation of the expression of their grievances, some youths held another round of protest on October 1 in some parts of the country.
In response, the Russian Press Secretary, Yury Paramonov, rejected claims made by certain Western and Ukrainian media outlets that Russia could be behind the unrest.
According to the embassy, figures such as the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken; a former Director of the British Council in Nigeria, David Roberts; and Ukraine’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ivan Kholostenko, suggested that the presence of Russian flags in recent protests was evidence of Russia’s interference.
“I would like to share with you our note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, which we sent at the end of September when there were rumors of potential unrest in Nigeria, and the embassies of the USA, the UK, and Ukraine were prematurely trying to blame Russia for it. As expected, all these claims turned out to be fabrications and attempts to create discord between the friendly peoples of Russia and Nigeria.
“The Embassy of the Russian Federation in the Federal Republic of Nigeria has taken note of the media reports circulating about possible protests in Nigeria at the beginning of October this year.
“The embassy is also dismayed by the fact that certain Western and Ukrainian media outlets are attempting to preemptively accuse Russia of involvement in, or even organising such unrest.
“In particular, statements by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, former Director of the British Council in Nigeria David Roberts, and the Ambassador of Ukraine to Nigeria Ivan Kholostenko have shamelessly and baselessly suggested that the use of Russian flags during recent protests is evidence of Russia’s interference and have further warned that this could happen again in the future,” the statement read in part.
The Russian embassy dismissed the accusations as baseless, reiterating that the country had no involvement in the protests.
In contrast, the embassy pointed to what it described as a coordinated media campaign by Western and Ukrainian officials, accusing them of attempting to meddle in Nigeria’s internal matters and shift blame onto Russia.
The embassy reaffirmed the strength of Russia’s relations with Nigeria and reiterated its support for peaceful dialogue within the legal framework to resolve any internal issues.
Russia, the statement added, stands firmly behind Nigeria’s leadership and its people.
The statement added, “The embassy categorically rejects such accusations and reiterates that the Russian Federation neither had any involvement in the protests that occurred in the recent past, nor does it have any connection to any potential future demonstrations or unrest.
“Russia has always respected the sovereignty of Nigeria. We strictly adhere to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of independent states. By contrast, the coordinated media campaign by Western and Ukrainian officials and outlets clearly points to their attempts to meddle in Nigeria’s internal affairs and shift the blame for any consequences onto the Russian Federation.
“We greatly value the relations between our two countries, support only peaceful dialogue within the legal framework as the proper means to resolve any internal disputes, and once again express our unwavering support for the leadership and the people of Nigeria.”
In response to Russia’s warning, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ivan Kholostenko, issued statement, condemning the Russian regime and its actions on the global stage.
Kholostenko described Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, as an “unprovoked and unjustified aggressive war” aimed at fully occupying Ukraine and erasing its national identity.
“Ukraine knows perfectly well what the Russian regime is. And we would like to refer to the truthful facts.
“The truth is that the Russian army commits awful and numerous war crimes and atrocities in the territory of Ukraine every day. Russians kill, rape and torture civilians, including women and children,” Kholostenko said.
He also accused Russia of deliberately sabotaging international food security by withdrawing from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and targeting Ukrainian grain exports.
Kholostenko further cited the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin, issued in March 2023 for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied territories, as evidence of Russia’s disregard for international law.
“All these atrocities and war crimes have been and still are being committed under Russian flags,” Kholostenko said, vowing that Russia would face just punishment under international law for its actions.
The Press and Media Specialist, US Embassy in Abuja, Aishah Gambari, promised to respond to the claims of the Russian government.
She had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.
Efforts to speak with a representative of the UK Government were abortive as emails and text messages were not replied to.(punch)
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