Russian lawmaker: Kiev parade shows aggressive plans to escalate crisis

Ukraine celebrated the 23rd anniversary of country's independence on Sunday

© ITAR-TASS/Maxim Nikitin

Independence Day parade in Kiev

© Unknown

Ukraine ‘to spend billions of hryvnas’ to upgrade its military hardware - president

The speaker of Russia's parliament lower house

State Duma Sergei Naryshkin believes that a parade held in Ukraine's capital, Kiev, on the occasion of Independence Day of the country was a manifestation of aggressive plans to escalate the crisis.

"Yesterday a military parade was held in Kiev, where military units carrying out a punitive operation in the country's east already for several months also participated," Sergei Naryshkin told reporters on Monday. "

I do not know what prompted them to take this decision

, but instead of appeals to dialogue, instead of a mourning ceremony for all victims of a bloody conflict they showed their aggressive plans to escalate the crisis," the lower house speaker said.

"Nationalism, National Socialism is showed clearer in Kiev officials' words and action, as the latter continue with

maniacal insistence

attempts to disunite Russian and Ukrainian peoples who have common origin, history and culture."

"I doubt that ideologues of such policy realise fully all possible after-effects. Meanwhile, this is clear, as these people are frequently citizens of other countries," the lawmaker added.

Ukraine celebrated the 23rd anniversary of country's independence on Sunday. On this occasion a parade of military hardware and military personnel was staged in central Kiev.