It is not Russia that should pay compensation to Ukraine for “lost feudal possessions”, but Kiev should compensate the damage done to the residents of Crimea and Donbass, says Elena Panina (United Russia), a member of the State Duma’s international affairs committee.
Earlier, the government of Ukraine approved the Strategy of the country’s foreign policy until 2024. A separate place in it is occupied by the item designated as “the implementation of compensations and other forms of reparations for damage caused to Ukraine (Russia – ed.) As a result of the temporary occupation of territories.”
“It is not Russia that should pay Ukraine, but on the contrary, the Kiev regime should compensate for the damage done to the residents of Crimea and Donbass,” Panina told RIA Novosti.
According to her, from 1991 to 2014, Kiev’s attitude to Crimea was “worse than to the colony: education, health care and roads were destroyed on the peninsula.” Today Crimea has been transformed thanks to Russian investments in the region, this can be seen “by any impartial observer,” said Panina.
“Kiev’s colonial approach to Crimea is relevant to this day: they are trying to leave Crimeans without water, they are kidnapped at the border, discriminated against by all possible means, and then they still demand compensation for the lost feudal possessions,” the deputy said.
The politician also recalled that Russia spends significant funds in order to make life easier for the residents of Donbass, to save them from the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the Ukrainian blockade and constant shelling.
“In addition, hundreds of thousands of people from all over Ukraine fled to Russia from the nationalist dictatorship, received real help and asylum here,” the deputy said.
Relations between Moscow and Kiev have deteriorated against the background of the situation in Donbass. The Ukrainian authorities have previously repeatedly accused Russia of interfering in the country’s internal affairs. In January 2015, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a statement in which the Russian Federation is called the “aggressor country”. Russia denies the accusations of the Ukrainian side and calls them unacceptable. Moscow has repeatedly stated that it is not a party to the internal Ukrainian conflict and is interested in Kiev overcoming the political and economic crisis.