Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters’ statements about Crimea, a Black Sea peninsular region annexed by Russia, have caused a backlash in Ukraine.
In an interview published by the Russian daily Izvestia prior to Waters’ shows in Moscow and St Petersburg, he defended the annexation of Crimea by Russia in March 2014, saying that “many agreements and other papers” exist that prove Russia’s claims for Sevastopol, a major military port in Crimea.
He went on to say that Moscow’s actions were “provoked” by ouster of Ukraine’s pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych, which he claimed was orchestrated by Washington.
Curiously, Waters’ statements resonated with the Kremlin’s rhetoric justifying the takeover of Crimea, and enraged many in Ukraine, which still considers the peninsular region as its own territory, illegally occupied by Russia.
The Ukrainian non-government organization Mirotvorets (Peacemaker), which aims to inform local law enforcers about foreign citizens who allegedly committed crimes against Ukraine, reacted by putting Waters on its unofficial blacklist.
He is being accused him of anti-Ukrainian propaganda, attempt on Ukraine’s territorial integrity and attempting to justify the annexation of Crimea by Russia.
Ukrainian authorities have not yet made any comments regarding Waters’ statements.
Since Crimea was annexed by Russia, a number of international entertainment personalities have ended up on Peacemaker’s black list. In some cases, Ukrainian authorities also take action, banning individuals who have publicly supported the annexation, including French actor Gerard Depardieu and Serbian filmmaker and musician Emir Kusturica, from entering the country.
Waters is scheduled to perform in St Petersburg on August 29 and in Moscow on August 31.
First, Crimea was not annexed by Russia, which implies “against their will”, there was a referendum witnessed by many delegates worldwide stating that the vote by the people was legitimate, 93.6% of crimeans elected to join Russia. Crimea has always been a part of Russia, the vote was supported by the supreme court of crimea. Crimea asked russia to defend it’s country against a possible conflict which was going on in Ukraine (civil war). The midon(polish and ukraine nazi’s) overthrough of president yanokovich was largely supported and encouraged by Victoria nulen (aasst sec of state) and John Mccain-promising Ukraine a new found democracy. The U.S. installed the c.ia.’s choice for president; Poroshenko-who currently has about 8% of support from Ukraine-and they are poorer as a people. Russia helped eastern Ukrainians during the civil war which has resulted in over 10,000 deaths. Russia also took in 1 million ukranians. The U.S. has always had an interest in Ukraines resources, it’s gas and agricultural resources. The U.S. would love Ukraine to join nato, and have another country right on russia’s border-which George H. Bush promised would never happen after the soviet union collapsed. The U.S. wants to steal those resources, as they now intend to do in Venezuela.