Russian ambassador to Greece: No position change on Cyprus issue; denies attack on Mariupol-area Greeks

Russia’s envoy to Greece on Thursday dismissed widespread speculation in Athens that communication between his embassy and the Greek foreign ministry is at an all-time low, referring instead to “regular, almost daily and very significant” contacts.

The statement by Russian Ambassador Andrey Maslov came after uncharacteristically undiplomatic Tweets on the specific embassy’s official account, including one post that used threatening and insolent language against local critics in Greece, and all in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The press briefing comes as the Mitsotakis government has unequivocally condemned Putin-led Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its pummeling of military and civilian targets.

In terms of issues affecting Greece, Maslov said Moscow’s position vis-à-vis the Cyprus issue remains unchanged, and is still based on UN Security Council Resolutions.

Pressed on the matter, he underlined that Russia does not recognize the so-called “Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus” pseudo-state, “…similar to Greece not recognizing Kosovo”.

The question came after Russian FM Sergey Lavrov this past week, in an off-the-cuff manner, used the pseudo-state’s preferred name for the Turkish-occupied areas of Cyprus.

He also flatly denied that Russian forces were behind the death of 10 ethnic Greeks in the Mariupol-area village of Sartana, for which he was called to the foreign ministry and handed an official demarche by Athens.

Instead, he claimed that “Ukrainian neo-Nazis” hit the specific area with rocket launchers.