The Diplomat
The Chargé d’Affaires of the Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid, Dmytro Matiuschenko, said that his government has asked Spain for individual means of protection such as helmets and bulletproof vests for the country’s civilian population, following the Russian attack.
During a briefing at the diplomatic representation, Matiuschenko,Minister Counsellor and who is in charge of the Embassy because the Ambassador is in Ukraine, indicated that they are “waiting” for a “rapid” response to their request from Pedro Sánchez’s government, because, he said, “now is not the time for declarations, but the time for practical support for Ukraine, and not only at a multilateral level, but at a bilateral level”, reports Europa Press.
The Chargé d’Affaires of the Ukrainian Embassy insisted that his country needs humanitarian support but also protection for civilians who have joined the armed struggle in defence of their country, after Martial Law was adopted. “Ukraine needs humanitarian support, bullet-proof waistcoats, helmets and various other items that could increase Ukraine’s defensive capabilities,” he said.
He also called on allied countries for more financial support to strengthen the Ukrainian banking system. “Since Russia started the wave of violation of international rights and basic principles by openly and blatantly violating the UN Charter, the response of the international community to these heinous acts has to be forceful,” he said.
“The Ukrainian people and their desire to join the EU and NATO remains the same. No other country in the world has paid as high a price as Ukraine and no other country in the EU and no other country in NATO has paid the price that Ukraine is paying. The price of deciding its future,” he said.
Matiuschenko deplored Russia’s “vicious attack” on the Ukrainian people “like Hitler did in his time” and confirmed that the aggression had resulted in Ukrainian casualties, but that there were also approximately 100 Russian soldiers killed and 15 Russian tanks burned.
“We have Russian armoured cars burned, eight Russian planes shot down and several Russian helicopters as well. A Russian platoon a few hours ago surrendered to the Ukrainian armed forces,” he said.
Regarding the sanctions on Russia already announced by the European Union in the face of the “unprecedented” attack, the Ukrainian diplomat urged the international community to respond with “massive and more than strong” sanctions. “We cannot allow Russia to use its gas supplies to Europe to buy weapons and attack Ukraine,” he said.
He called for a ban on energy and oil trade with Russia and a ban on investments in that country. He also called for sanctions against Russia’s Central Bank and private banks, as well as for sanctions against rouble transactions, in addition to blocking Vladimir Putin’s country and disconnecting it from the Visa and Mastercard payment systems.
In his opinion, this war against Ukraine “without any pretext” will have humanitarian consequences that will also be suffered by the Russian people as a result of a decision taken by the Kremlin. “Russia is not a democracy and the Russian people will suffer the damage because it is not the Russians who decide”, he said, after stressing that the invasion endangers the security of “the whole of Europe”.
