Russia denies that Yanukovych sent a letter asking to deploy Russian troops to Ukraine during Maidan
According to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, Yuriy Lutsenko, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation claims that the authorities of the country never received a letter from former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych asking to deploy Russian troops to the territory of Ukraine.
"A letter came from the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation. They write that neither the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation nor the Federation Council of the Russian Federation received any letter from Yanukovych concerning the deployment of Russian troops to the territory of Ukraine. And that no letter was taken into account when the corresponding decision was made by the Russian authorities," Lutsenko wrote on his Facebook page.
However, Lutsenko insists that there is an abundance of evidence that this letter was indeed received by the Russian authorities.
"The paper will endure all, gentlemen Russian prosecutors. But what about Churkin's speech in the UN Security Council concerning this letter? What about the video interview of Yanukovych himself, who confirms that he wrote such a letter? What about the speech of Mr. Klishas in the Federation Council, who talks about Yanukovych's letter at the Federation Council of Russia? What about the video of Putin's meeting with the press in Novo-Ogaryovo?" the Prosecutor General asked.
Lutsenko explained that during the said interview, "Putin, responding to a question about what can serve as a reason for the use of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the territory of Ukraine, repeatedly noted that he had a direct appeal from the acting and legitimate President of Ukraine Yanukovych on the use of the Armed Forces to protect the lives, freedom and health of Ukrainian citizens… Later, during the same interview, Putin repeatedly stressed the existence of this official appeal by Yanukovych."
"There is only one answer to these questions. Soon court proceedings will establish the truth and punish traitors and invaders," Lutsenko summed up.