Russian lower house speaker says ideological split hinders Ukraine crisis settlement

The speaker of the lower house of Russia’s parliament blamed a split in Ukrainian society for the nation’s impossibility to settle the current crisis in the country that has seen its president ousted following violent protests.

“A serious ideological split is observed [in Ukraine] that will prevent the situation from being settled,” State Duma speaker Sergei Naryshkin, on a visit to Israel, told journalists on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, society has nearly opposite viewpoints on Ukraine’s development.”

Naryshkin said Ukraine should resolve the issue of its current authorities’ legitimacy, the form of state structure, stop violence and unlawful manifestations in the country.

“Unfortunately, manifestations of anti-Semitism and Russophobia can be observed in Ukraine,” he lamented.
Ukraine has been hit by anti-government protests since November 2013. A new wave of riots started February 18 and eventually caused President Viktor Yanukovich to flee his residence outside Kiev.