Moscow condemns Ukraine embassy attack

Moscow has angrily condemned a violent protest outside its embassy in Kyiv, which saw windows smashed, cars overturned and the Russian flag being torn down.

A crowd of around a hundred demonstrators gathered outside calling on Russia to go home.

The protest followed the shooting down, earlier on Saturday, of a Ukrainian military aircraft, killing 40 paratroopers and nine crew.

Russia has accused Ukraine’s police of doing nothing to stop the attack.

One protesters said: ‘‘Russia is sponsoring aggression and terrorism. What kind of diplomatic relations can we have after 49 of our servicemen were killed today? Every day our people are dying in the east with the direct support of Russia and approval of Putin.’‘

Representatives of the protesters were later allowed inside the embassy, along with some media, including euronews. During the meeting they called for Russia, among other things, to officially acknowledge its undeclared war in Ukraine.

From Kyiv, euronews’ Angelina Kariakina said: ‘‘Protesters at the embassy say the demonstration is a reaction to the shooting down of the Ukrainian plane and those killed. Some want diplomatic ties to be cut with Russia, while others say there are other ways of pressuring Moscow.’‘