mick silver
2nd February 2015, 05:15 PM
Ukraine run by 'miserable' Jews: rebel chiefhttp://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/news/2013-08-26/d19448d6-6aaa-4359-a768-eadacf5fbca9_afp-gif_new.gif (http://www.afp.com/) 3 hours ago
http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/JA2L_FLbmMGTIO5UcU0fBg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTM3NztpbD1wbGFuZTtweG 9mZj01MDtweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz02NzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/Part-PAR-Par8089448-1-1-0.jpg (http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-run-miserable-jews-rebel-chief-202600090.html#)
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Prime Minister of the Pro-Russian self proclamed "Peoples Republic of Donetsk" Alexander Zakharchenko during a press conference in Donetsk on Febuary 2, 2015 (AFP Photo/Dominique Faget)
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Donetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) - Ukraine's pro-Russian rebel chief on Monday branded the country's leaders "miserable" Jews in an apparent anti-Semitic jibe.
Alexander Zakharchenko, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, claimed that Kiev's pro-Western leaders were "miserable representatives of the great Jewish people".
"I can't remember a time when Cossacks were led by people who have never held a sword in their hands," Zakharchenko told a press conference in the eastern rebel stronghold of Donetsk, in a reference to Ukraine's nationalist forebears, the Cossacks.
Zakharchenko said that the country's historical nationalists "would turn in their graves if they could see who is running Ukraine."
Anti-Semitic sentiment remains widespread in Ukraine, where leaders are commonly labelled as Jewish by those seeking to discredit them.
The comments by Zakharchenko, who was flanked by the leader of the neighbouring rebel-held region of Lugansk, Igor Plotnitsky, were carried live by Russian news channel Rossiya-24.
The rebels leaders on Monday announced a mass call-up, aimed at bolstering their forces to 100,000 troops.
Fighting between Ukrainian forces and the pro-Russian rebels, which has claimed 5,100 lives since April, has surged in recent weeks after the collapse of a tenuous ceasefire deal.
Politics & Government
Unrest, Conflicts & War
Alexander Zakharchenko
Ukraine
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http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/JA2L_FLbmMGTIO5UcU0fBg--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTM3NztpbD1wbGFuZTtweG 9mZj01MDtweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz02NzA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/afp.com/Part-PAR-Par8089448-1-1-0.jpg (http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-run-miserable-jews-rebel-chief-202600090.html#)
. View photo
Prime Minister of the Pro-Russian self proclamed "Peoples Republic of Donetsk" Alexander Zakharchenko during a press conference in Donetsk on Febuary 2, 2015 (AFP Photo/Dominique Faget)
Related Stories
Bravado and disbelief greet Ukraine rebel call-up (http://news.yahoo.com/bravado-disbelief-greet-ukraine-rebel-call-184944217.html) AFP
Ukraine rebels vow to conquer more territory in war-torn east (http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-says-russian-terrorists-launch-offensive-094150984.html) AFP
Ukraine separatists vow to mobilise 100,000 fighters (http://news.yahoo.com/ukraine-separatist-leader-vows-mobilise-100-000-men-101706382.html) AFP
Ukraine rebels plan call-up, want 100,000-strong army (http://news.yahoo.com/east-ukraine-rebels-plan-general-mobilization-094515784.html) Reuters
Fifteen troops killed as Ukraine peace talks begin (http://news.yahoo.com/kiev-hopes-stalled-truce-talks-despite-separatist-vow-064828284.html) AFP
Donetsk (Ukraine) (AFP) - Ukraine's pro-Russian rebel chief on Monday branded the country's leaders "miserable" Jews in an apparent anti-Semitic jibe.
Alexander Zakharchenko, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, claimed that Kiev's pro-Western leaders were "miserable representatives of the great Jewish people".
"I can't remember a time when Cossacks were led by people who have never held a sword in their hands," Zakharchenko told a press conference in the eastern rebel stronghold of Donetsk, in a reference to Ukraine's nationalist forebears, the Cossacks.
Zakharchenko said that the country's historical nationalists "would turn in their graves if they could see who is running Ukraine."
Anti-Semitic sentiment remains widespread in Ukraine, where leaders are commonly labelled as Jewish by those seeking to discredit them.
The comments by Zakharchenko, who was flanked by the leader of the neighbouring rebel-held region of Lugansk, Igor Plotnitsky, were carried live by Russian news channel Rossiya-24.
The rebels leaders on Monday announced a mass call-up, aimed at bolstering their forces to 100,000 troops.
Fighting between Ukrainian forces and the pro-Russian rebels, which has claimed 5,100 lives since April, has surged in recent weeks after the collapse of a tenuous ceasefire deal.
Politics & Government
Unrest, Conflicts & War
Alexander Zakharchenko
Ukraine
Click to view comments
View Comments (1048)