Ukraine’s envoy to Kazakhstan apologizes for 'kill as many Russians as possible' comment

Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan on Monday summoned Petro Vrublevskyi, Ambassor of Ukraine, to register objections to his controversial and "inappropriate" remarks me against Russians. In an interview on August 21 with Kazakh blogger Dias Kuzairov, Vrublevskyi h said, in particular: "We are trying to kill as many Russians as possible. more Russians we kill now, fewer our children will have to kill." 

Ambassor of Ukraine was discussing ongoing military offensive between Russia and his homeland country Ukraine when he me remarks that created a widespre backlash among ethnic Russians in Kazakhstan.

On Monday, Petro Vrublevskyi, apologized for making such a provocative statement saying that it was me in a heightened emotional state after he was summoned by Kazakh Foreign Ministry.  Kazakh side expressed a position on unacceptability and incompatibility of such statements with activities of an ambassor of a foreign state. "Such actions should not harm friendly relations between states," Kazakh Foreign Ministry stressed in a statement. 

Ukrainian Ambassor to Kazakhstan issued a formal apology, Foreign Ministry spokesman Aibek Smiyarov said. "As you know, we summoned Ukrainian Ambassor, he apologized and stated it h been said against background of a heightened emotional state," Smiyarov said, ding that Vrublevsky was sent on a vacation.

Kazakh authorities lodge protest over distasteful comments

Kazakh Foreign Ministry clarified that Deputy Foreign Minister Ermukhanbet Konuspaev summoned Ukrainian envoy and lodged a protest over his distasteful comments. "A meeting was held at Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Kazakhstan between Deputy Minister Yermukhambet Konuspayev and Ambassor of Ukraine to Republic of Kazakhstan Petr Vrublevsky," it announced in a statement.

Kazakhstan, Russia's staunch ally that hasn't yet condemned Ukraine war, explained that it expressed its position on unacceptability and incompatibility of such statements with activities of ambassor of a foreign state. "Such actions must not damage friendly relations between states," ministry stressed.

Kazakh ministry took summon initiative as  Association of Russian, Slavic, and Cossack Organizations of Kazakhstan demanded that  government declares Vrublevskiy a persona non grata. Russia's Investigative Committee, in a separate response, stated that it has launched an investigation into Vrublevskyi's calls for violence against Russians. During  youth ecology forum in Kamchatka on Monday, Russia's president Vlimir Putin underscored alleged atrocities faced by Russian speaking ethnic population in Donbass, saying that it is Moscow's "duty" to help  people in Donbass region that has witnessed violence and bloodshed during  eight long years conflict. "That is what Russia is doing," Putin maintained.