Western countries in the United Nations Security Council have blocked Moscow's draft resolution condemning the attack on the Russian embassy in Kiev, a source in the UN says.
“Western delegations in the Security Council have blocked the
Russian draft resolution condemning the attack on the embassy of
the Russian federation in Kiev,” the source told RIA Novosti
news agency.
Russia presented the proposal on Saturday after a few hundred
people stormed its embassy in the Ukrainian capital,
throwing stones and firecrackers and overturning diplomatic cars.
A Molotov cocktail was pelted at the premises, causing a minor
fire which was extinguished by firefighters. The demonstrators –
among them members of the far-right group Right Sector –
protested against Russia’s alleged involvement in the crisis in
eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Didier Burkhalter, head of the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), expressed concern
over the incident and urged Ukrainian authorities to ensure the
safety of all diplomatic missions.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement
condemning the attack and demanded that Kiev provide security for
Russian diplomats.
“Moscow is extremely outraged at the provocative actions of
fascist-like thugs in Kiev against the Russian Embassy. Moscow
demands the Ukrainian side take all necessary security measures
to protect Russian diplomats in Kiev,” the statement said.
No such measures have yet been taken by Kiev, which is a
“fragrant violation of Ukraine’s obligations,” the ministry said.
Washington on Saturday spoke out against the violent action and
called on Kiev to ensure the security of Russian diplomats.
“The US condemns the attack on the embassy of the Russian
Federation in Kiev and calls on the Ukrainian government to
fulfill its obligations under the Vienna convention to ensure the
necessary security measures,” US State Department
spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, as quoted by RIA Novosti.
The head of the Russian State Duma's International Affairs Committee, Aleksey Pushkov, believes the attack on the Russian embassy in Kiev was pre-planned.
"Otherwise, where did the protesters get the firecrackers?!” he wrote on Twitter. "It was not a spontaneous action, but a thoroughly planned one."