Military PGO summons Zelensky's press secretary over remarks about Ukrainian troops in Donbas
Ukraine's Military Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has summoned President Volodymyr Zelensky's Spokeswoman Yulia Mendel for questioning, according to the Kyiv-based ezine The Babel.
Mendel is expected to appear for questioning on June 26 or June 27.
Mendel said she isn't aware of being summoned.
"I don't know about the agenda," she was quoted as saying.
Mendel's call for interrogation was allegedly linked to her statement on June 7, 2019 on the program Right to Power aired by 1+1 TV. She said then Ukrainian military was being provoked to fire on Russia-occupation forces hiding in civilian locations in Russia-occupied areas of Donbas.
"It was a question that very often the Ukrainian military are caught in provocations when they shoot from a residential house, kindergarten, school, hospital, from any place where civilians are staying. And then the shelling of this house begins, and so our people, our Ukrainians, are dying. And, actually, the point was not to succumb to provocations," Mendel said during the show, attempting to clarify comments made earlier by Ukraine's second President Leonid Kuchma, who is leading Ukraine's delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group at talks in Minsk.
Mendel said Kuchma's statements about Ukrainian soldiers returning fire from Russia-occupation forces had been taken out of context.
Kuchma on June 6 said the Ukrainian side should not respond to provocative attacks if they are carried out from civilian areas.