Face Down on the Table. Former Ambassador to Russia Describes the Kremlin’s Methods with Ukraine’s Top Leadership – Suspicion

“Who do they hold me for? A lackey?” such was the reaction of Leonid Kuchma to his first foreign trip to Russia.

The first Ukrainian ambassador to Russia, Volodymyr Kryzhanivsky, described how the Kremlin tried to influence Ukrainian high officials after their appointments.

According to the former ambassador, the Russian authorities sought to place Ukrainian leaders in a situation where they had no choice but to align with Moscow’s position. Kryzhanivsky noted this in an interview with Glavkom.

“Let’s go back 30 years. Kravchuk sought to somehow repair Ukraine’s relations with Russia and remain at the head of the state for another term. But the Russian leadership did not want him in that position, much less for four more years. And the Russian leadership did not want to see him. The Russians bet on Leonid Kuchma (prime minister in 1992-1993 years; at the time of his election as president of Ukraine – deputy of the II convocation – Glavkom). But the Russians were mistaken. It was the Russian authorities who did a lot to cause Kuchma to change his view on relations between neighboring countries,” the former ambassador noted.

In particular, Kryzhanivsky recalled Kuchma’s first visit to Russia in his capacity as prime minister. “I wanted to accompany him, but he categorically refused. After a series of meetings, Leonid Danilovich returned very angry. “Who do they hold me for? A lackey? I was the director of the largest enterprise of the Soviet Union, which built the famous Satan (a Soviet strategic missile system; produced at Pivdenmash – Glavkom),” Kuchma complained, he emphasized.

The former ambassador said that Russia’s methods in dealing with Ukraine’s top leadership consisted of, after appointing a new head at the level of deputy prime minister or prime minister, Russians tried to put him in a “face on the table” position, i.e., into an unavoidable stand. At the same time, the diplomat noted that this looked very funny.

“For example, I recall the eloquent phrase of Yukhym Zvyahilskyi (in 1993-1994 years – acting prime minister; a deputy of eight convocations – Glavkom), who told me: ‘These Russians will turn me into a nationalist.’ Or the head of the Sevastopol City State Administration, Volodymyr Yatsuba (who led the city of sailors until Russia’s annexation of Crimea – Glavkom) admitted to me: ‘You know, I became a nationalist when I saw the Russian bacchanalia in Sevastopol.’ It was Yatsuba, shouting, who urged acting President Oleksandr Turchynov to redeploy troops from Western Ukraine to defend the southern island,” Kryzhanivsky added.

Incidentally, Volodymyr Kryzhanivsky stated that Russia seeks to seize the Donbas not only for the mines and mineral deposits there. One of the Kremlin’s goals may be to use the region as a springboard for further advances to southern Ukraine.