Dispute over flag: Russians and Ukrainians strike at conference

On Thursday, a scuffle broke out between a Ukrainian and a Russian delegate at a conference in Ankara. During the meeting of MPs for the PABSEC summit, an incident occurred during the speech of the Russian representative in the event hall. Then it got even hotter in the foyer.

The meeting would be about economic cooperation between the countries bordering the Black Sea. Members of the parliaments of the PABSEC countries are invited. When Olga Timofeeva, a member of the Russian Duma, began to speak, the Ukrainian deputies rose from their seats.

Shortly afterwards, according to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, members of the Ukrainian delegation lined up with two flags behind her – one of them the Ukrainian flag. One photo shows a visibly agitated representative of Ukraine being pushed back. This was the first reason for the chairman of the Turkish parliament, as host, to ask for silence. Mustafa Shentop interrupted the meeting and, according to a report from the Ukrainian news website Esprese.tv, sent the delegation out of the room.

Apparently a serious argument broke out in the foyer. When Olga Timofeeva made a statement there, the Ukrainian flag was again hoisted behind her. Videos show a man grabbing it and walking away. Ukrainian deputy Oleksandr Marikovski allegedly tried to take it from him – and a scuffle ensued. Marikovski was then able to get hold of the flag, bystanders and security forces tried to defuse the situation.

The Russian Tass news agency reported that the person attacked was the secretary of the Russian delegation, Valery Stavitsky. After the incident, he was taken to hospital for examination. Irina Kasimova, spokeswoman for the Russian embassy in Ankara, told TASS: “We express our hope that the perpetrators will be punished.”

Marikovsky later shared a video of the incident on Facebook with the caption, “Keep your feet off our flag, feet off Ukraine, Russian bastard!”

(n t-online, when)