MOSCOW. Oct 21 (Interfax) - Odd things have continued to happen following the signing of the Steinmeier formula; in particular, official Kyiv is sending contradictory messages, Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said.
"There are many odd things now: contradictory and unconstructive statements by Kuchma's press secretary after the contract group's meeting and gibberish voiced by Kyiv's other official representatives, including Zelensky himself," Ushakov told journalists at a briefing in Moscow.
This is all happening amid actions of Ukrainian nationalists who not only are present at the disengagement line "but have also become more active in the capital itself, Kyiv," he said.
"As regards Ukraine, we are slightly concerned about the situation that has taken shape after the political advisors of the Normandy Format leaders did a certain job and their agreements were nailed down by decisions of the contact group in Minsk," Ushakov said.
The agreed upon text of the Steinmeier formula was signed and the schedule of disengagement of forces at the two sections of the contact line near the communities of Zolote and Petrivske was approved, he said. "But after that, rather contradictory signals have started coming from Kyiv," he said.
Moreover, nationalists from the Azov, Aidar, and Donbas battalions arrived at these communities in order to prevent the disengagement of forces, Ushakov said. "There was a threat that if Ukraine's armed forces had been withdrawn from these districts, nationalists would have taken their positions," he said.