Georgiy Mamedov, Russia's soon-to-retire ambassador to Canada, says Ottawa is spreading propaganda about his home country's involvement in the annexation of Crimea.
Mamedov, who is departing after 11 years as Russia's representative in Canada, said Prime Minister Stephen Harper should have come to him with his concerns when the crisis in Ukraine broke out. "Either you are serious that we are on the aggressive path… or you are just involved in propaganda before elections," Mamedov said in an interview with CTV's Question Period.
"Why did it take you so long to talk to me? And even now you only want to remonstrate," he said.
Mamedov said Harper's comparison of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler is a prime example of the propaganda that's damaging Russian-Canadian relations. Before an emergency G7 meeting in early March, Harper had compared Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine to Germany’s aggression before World War II.
"You try to demonize us," he said. "There is more to a relationship than just propaganda."
Mamedov's comments come as Ottawa announced fresh sanctions against 11 Russians and Ukrainians who it believes are responsible for destabilizing Crimea. Canada has also added sanctions against a Russian energy company.
Mamedov has repeatedly defended Russia's actions in Ukraine, and did so again on Question Period.
"It's not annexation, it's not intervention," Mamedov said, noting the Crimean uprising came because citizens there saw instability in Kyiv and feared a move toward stronger relations with Europe – and away from its old connections to Russia.
"People of Crimea always felt they were part of Russia," he said.
The retiring ambassador said his 11-year stint in Canada has been a positive one, despite recent tensions over Ukraine. "If out of 11 years, one is a bit rough, 10-1 is not bad," he said.
Mamedov also said he thinks Harper and Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird are smart men, despite recent tensions.
"I am optimistic about the future of Russian-Canadian relations," he said. "We have no irreconcilable differences of national interest."
Speaking after the new sanctions were announced Saturday, Conservative MP James Bezan responded to Mamedov's comments.
"If you want to talk about propaganda and about the facts, then all you have to do is look at what Russia is throwing out through their media as complete lies, misdirection and misinformation," Bezan told CTV News. "It has to stop."
