Moscow's ambassador to the United Nations has told an emergency meeting of the Security Council that Russia does not want war over the Ukraine crisis.
"Russia does not want war and nor do the Russians, and I am convinced that Ukrainians do not want this either," ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the Council yesterday.
His speech came after Western powers delivered a stinging rebuke of Moscow's actions in Ukraine and condemned a planned referendum in Crimea on Sunday to decide whether to join Russia.
Ukrainian interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk also addressed the Council, warning that nuclear non-proliferation could be undermined unless there was a peaceful resolution.
Churkin hit back with a scathing attack on his counterparts' assessment of the crisis and reiterated Moscow's position that Ukraine's president had been unconstitutionally deposed.
He also ridiculed remarks from other ambassadors which he said painted an "idyllic situation," adding ironically: "If it hadn't been for evil Russia, everyone in Ukraine would live long and happy lives."
He defended the referendum as arising from a legal vacuum in Crimea, which itself was the result of the "unconstitutional overthrow of the government in Kiev" last month.
