You're reading: Moscow denies Kyiv’s claims about rise in xenophobia in Russia

The Russian Foreign Ministry has called the statement by officials in Kyiv about a rise in xenophobic sentiments in Russia "baseless".

“The Russian Foreign Ministry is appalled by the irresponsible and
baseless statement by the official representative of the Ukrainian
Foreign Ministry, Yevhen Perebyinis, about an alleged ‘rise in
xenophobic sentiments in Russia’. The so-called facts he cited have no
base. Kyiv is trying to pass the buck once again,” the Russian Foreign
Ministry said in a commentary obtained by Interfax on Wednesday.

“Unlike Ukrainian right-wing radical forces who openly march in
Ukrainian towns with fascist symbols, praise Bandera and other Nazi
abettors, vandalize monuments to Soviet soldiers, Russians are actively
preparing for a solemn celebration of the upcoming 70th anniversary of
the liberation of Odessa, Kerch, Simferopol and other cities from German
fascist occupiers,” the commentary said. “Apparently, Kyiv has
different priorities right now,” it said.

“Moscow continues gathering and systematizing multiple facts of gross
violation of the rights of Russian speakers and representatives of
other ethnicities in Ukraine by home-grown ultranationalists and
neo-Nazi,” the statement said. “This information will be unveiled in the
very near future,” the Foreign Ministry said.