You're reading: Yushchenko says May 9 events in Lviv ‘staged’ abroad

Third Ukrainian President (2005-2010) and leader of the Our Ukraine Party Viktor Yushchenko has said he does not rule out that the clashes seen during the celebration of Victory Day on May 9 in Lviv were prepared beyond the borders of Ukraine with the assistance of the current government.

"I do not rule out that this plan is ideological that to a great extent [was planned] outside Ukraine," he told reporters in Kyiv on Wednesday.

He said that provoking antagonism would weaken Ukraine, and claimed the events in Lviv were "staged."

"It is impossible to bring militants from Odesa to Lviv without some organization," he said.

"The provocation planned and supported by the government was aimed at splitting Ukrainian society, as it is politically advantageous [for representatives of the government]," Yuschenko said.

In addition, the former president said that "there was a provocation against patriotic forces."

According to Yuschenko, such conclusions could be reached on "reading the headlines of the Russian newspapers, reading Russian comments."