Diplomat: Eject Russia, things go back to normal
Helping end conflict in NZ’S interests: Ukraine official
If we can allow one
country to change borders by force, it will embolden other countries to follow
suit. Vasyl Myroshnychenko, Ukrainian
ambassador to Australia and NZ
New Zealand will face further pain from Russia’s invasion if Vladimir Putin’s onslaught is not repelled, the Ukrainian ambassador says.
Vasyl Myroshnychenko spoke to the Herald on Thursday shortly after visiting Governor-general Dame Cindy Kiro and meeting Defence Minister Peeni Henare.
He is the non-resident ambassador, based in Canberra. But Myroshnychenko said it was faster for him to fly to New Zealand than to Perth.
The ambassador outlined some of the horrific war crimes Russians have allegedly committed in the costly and deadly invasion.
But he also urged Kiwis to help Ukraine kick Putin’s army out — for reasons of principle and of economic security.
He said Ukraine was a major sunflower oil, barley, wheat and maize producer and exporter.
But feeding the world has become harder since the February 24 invasion.
“Our ports were blocked for five months. It’s only last week they started unblocking them,” Myroshnychenko said.
“We are primarily catering to the Middle East and Africa. Seventy per cent of our exports go from Black Sea ports.”
The ship Razoni left Odesa on August 1, with 26,000 tonnes of grain but a Lebanese buyer rejected the cargo.
“The Russians have been looting the wheat, looting the agricultural equipment as well. That’s the reason for the food crisis.
“The prices have increased globally so consumers feel it everywhere. People in the Pacific islands are struggling to get hold of flour.”
He said sunflower oil was a key ingredient for baby food, and many producers worldwide relied on Ukrainian sunflower oil.
“The prices have skyrocketed.” He said the invasion had sent energy and fuel prices surging in many parts of the world.
Along with food shortages, that had contributed to inflation and associated rises in the cost of living.
“That’s why it’s so important to support Ukraine. It helps solve your own domestic issues. If Russia withdraws from Ukraine we retake our sovereignty.
“To bring the markets back to normal, we need to repel the Russians.”
Aside from economic concerns, ethics were at stake, he said.
“It’s been very different in the occupied territories. Russians have actually stolen the agricultural machinery.
“A lot of the agricultural machinery ended up in Chechnya. Stuff they couldn’t steal, they destroyed.
“Farmers couldn’t plant their seeds in the spring. In many places even if they managed to plant it they couldn’t harvest it.”
Some farmers in eastern and southern Ukraine fled. Others stayed.
“But they are suffering under the
Russian occupation,” Myroshnychenko added.
He said Russian commanders were encouraging troops to loot, rape and steal, and the Russian regime was selling the invasion as an adventure for young troops.
“They come from very underprivileged parts of Russia, You don’t see any soldiers from Moscow or St Petersburg.”
He said Putin’s regime was harming Ukrainians of different ethnicities, including Russian speakers.
“It doesn’t matter. They kill everybody or they torture everybody.”
He said some Russian speakers were Ukrainian partisans fighting to repel Putin’s invasion.
The war was largely a conflict between two different worldviews, he said.
“If we can allow one country to change borders by force, it will embolden other countries to follow suit.
“It is in the interests of New Zealanders for that not to happen,” he said.
Russia’s Government was a dictatorship infested with elderly kleptocrats and cronyism, he said.
“We are a democracy. We’ve had the change of government since we became independent in 1991.
“We only had one President who served two terms in a row.
“We value freedom. We value human rights, just like New Zealanders.”
For press freedom, Reporters Without Borders last year ranked Ukraine 97th and Russia 150th.
The Freedom House NGO rated Ukraine “partly free” rather than free but still well ahead of Russia.
Myroshnychenko said the Russian invasion had caused about a trillion dollars of damage to Ukraine — and vast sums would be needed to fix ruined infrastructure.
“We only see prosperity in Europe, in the EU.”
He said Putin’s regime was wallowing in nostalgia for the USSR and wanted to re-establish the Soviet empire. “We don’t want to be part of Russia.”