Russia rejects UK claim of trying to replace Ukraine leader

MOSCOW – Russia’s Overseas Ministry on Sunday rejected a British declare that Russia was searching for to exchange Ukraine’s authorities with a pro-Moscow administration, and that former Ukrainian lawmaker Yevheniy Murayev was being thought-about as a possible candidate.

Britain’s Overseas Workplace on Saturday additionally named a number of different Ukrainian politicians it stated had hyperlinks with Russian intelligence providers, together with Murayev who’s the chief of a small pro-Russia social gathering that has no seats within the parliament.

The U.Ok. authorities made the declare primarily based on an intelligence evaluation, with out offering proof to again it up. It comes amid excessive tensions between Moscow and the West over Russia’s designs on Ukraine.

“The disinformation unfold by the British Overseas Workplace is extra proof that it’s the NATO international locations, led by the Anglo-Saxons, who’re escalating tensions round Ukraine,” Russian Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on the Telegram messaging app Sunday. “We name on the British Overseas Workplace to cease provocative actions, cease spreading nonsense.”

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British Overseas Secretary Liz Truss stated the data “shines a lightweight on the extent of Russian exercise designed to subvert Ukraine, and is an perception into Kremlin considering.”

Truss urged Russia to “deescalate, finish its campaigns of aggression and disinformation, and pursue a path of diplomacy,” and reiterated Britain’s view that “any Russian navy incursion into Ukraine could be an enormous strategic mistake with extreme prices.”

Britain has despatched anti-tank weapons to Ukraine as a part of efforts to bolster its defenses towards a possible Russian assault.

Amid diplomatic efforts to defuse the disaster, U.Ok. Protection Secretary Ben Wallace is predicted to fulfill Russian Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu for talks in Moscow. No timing has been given for the assembly, which might be the primary U.Ok.-Russia bilateral protection talks since 2013.

The U.S. has mounted an aggressive marketing campaign in latest months to unify its European allies towards a brand new Russian invasion of Ukraine. The White Home known as the U.Ok. authorities evaluation “deeply regarding” and stated it stands with the duly elected Ukrainian authorities.

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“This type of plotting is deeply regarding,” Nationwide Safety Council spokeswoman Emily Horne stated. “The Ukrainian individuals have the sovereign proper to find out their very own future, and we stand with our democratically-elected companions in Ukraine.”

The evaluation got here as President Joe Biden spent Saturday on the presidential retreat Camp David exterior of Washington huddling along with his senior nationwide safety staff in regards to the Ukraine scenario. A White Home official stated the discussions included efforts to de-escalate the scenario with diplomacy and deterrence measures being coordinated carefully with allies and companions, together with safety help to Ukraine.

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Jill Lawless in London, Jari Tanner in Helsinki, and Matthew Lee and Zeke Miller in Washington, contributed to this report.