In the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, The Uruguayan ambassador in Moscow, Daniel Castillos, participated on Monday, March 14, along with other Latin American diplomatic representatives, in a meeting convened by the Foreign Ministry of the government of Vladimir Putin to talk about the military operation being carried out in the European country, according to what they told The Observer diplomatic sources.
The head of the Department of Latin America of the Russian government, Alexander Schetinin, was the one who received the diplomats from the countries of the region. Although in the case of Uruguay the ambassador decided to participate, other countries such as Argentina sent second-line diplomatic personnel to the meeting.
At the meeting, According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the head of the Department of Latin America reported on the development of the “special military operation in Ukraine, focusing the attention of diplomats on the fact that the Russian operation made kyiv’s plans fail to carry out a biological military program together with the US”.
The Russian complaint of the development of biological weapons on Ukrainian territory was presented to several international organizations, although both the United States and Ukraine deny said accusation.
In addition, according to Russia, the Ukrainian military committed “numerous violations of the norms of international humanitarian law.”
Vladimir Putin’s government decided on February 24 to invade Ukraine and three weeks later the bombings and attacks continue in different parts of the country. Although Russian troops advanced from various points and have managed to control some strategic areas, the country’s capital, kyiv, is still resisting the attacks of the Eurasian giant’s army.
One of the most innovative elements of the meeting was that Russia assured that there Latin Americans fighting in favor of Ukraine in the framework of the “international legion of territorial defense” organized by the European country. The diplomat, always according to the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that the “responsibility for the life” of those Latinos who are fighting is assumed by “the organizers and participants of this campaign.”
Schetinin did not specify the nationality of the fighters and described the so-called legion as an “illegal armed activity.”
The Russian government passed messages to some of the Latin American governments, but there were no specific comments for Uruguayaccording to the sources consulted.
The government of Alberto Fernández, for example, was particularly thankful for not applying any sanctions, as other Western countries led by the United States and the European Union did, according to El Cronista.
The diplomats who participated in the meeting, says the statement, They spoke of the “pressing issues” related to the stay of Latinos in Russia due to the financial and economic restrictions imposed on the country.
After some twists and turns at the diplomatic level, Uruguay finally condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a “clear” way and considers it a violation of international law and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
