Ukrainian MFA condemns Lavrov's shameful statement insulting memory of Holocaust victims, calls on Israel to respond

KYIV. Jan 19 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on the Israeli authorities and Jewish organizations to respond to the statement of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, which insults the memory of millions of victims of the Holocaust, Spokesman for the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Oleh Nikolenko has said.

"The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry compared the Russians waging a war of conquest with the millions of Jews killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust. It turns out that these are not Russian rockets that shoot down residential buildings in Ukraine, but the West has formed a coalition to solve the ‘Russian question.’ We strongly condemn shameful statement by Sergei Lavrov, which insults the memory of millions of victims of the Holocaust," Nikolenko said on Facebook.

He said Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had already drawn attention to the deep-seated anti-Semitism of the Russian elites.

"Modern Russia is full of hatred for other peoples. We welcome the quick reaction of the Jewish Congress of Europe," the speaker said.

The Foreign Ministry called on the Israeli authorities and Jewish organizations in the world to respond to Lavrov’s next statement.

"At the Nuremberg Tribunal, Foreign Minister Ribbentrop denied his participation in the crimes of the Nazis, but this did not help him escape punishment. Just as Lavrov will not escape punishment, posing as himself and Russia as a victim," Nikolenko said.

Earlier, Russian media said at a press conference, Lavrov compared Russians to Jews, and the West to Hitler and Napoleon.