In a statement marking the 10th anniversary of the pro-European protests in Kyiv’s Independence Square, Russia’s Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine and the West of causing the conflict with Moscow. Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova questioned whether Ukraine had truly achieved its dream of becoming part of Europe, arguing that it had turned into a poor and dying region due to events that began in November 2013.
The Euromaidan protests, later known as the Revolution of Dignity, were sparked by President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to annul an agreement on Ukraine’s accession to the EU under pressure from Moscow. More than 100 people were killed in clashes with security forces during these protests. The Russian president Vladimir Putin has been waging war against Ukraine for almost 21 months in an attempt to regain control over certain parts of the country. This event will be commemorated in Kyiv on Tuesday by international dignitaries arriving to remember the beginning of the protest.