Soros Says Putin Urged Ukraine to Use Force Against Protestors

MOSCOW, Russia -- U.S. businessman George Soros has said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had advised his then Ukrainian counterpart Leonid Kuchma to use arms against protestors during the country’s presidential elections in 2004.


George Soros
“President Putin advised that President Kuchma fire at the protesters during the Orange Revolution. Fortunately, Kuchma did not take his advice,” Soros was quoted by Interfax as saying at a news conference in Kiev on Friday.

The wave of protests in Ukraine was caused by reportedly falsified election results. After the rerun, opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko became president. There was speculation that Russia planned to use troops against Ukrainian protestors.

“Putin offered the same piece of advice to (Uzbek president Islam) Karimov, who accepted it,” Soros said in reference to the clashes between the army and protestors in Uzbekistan in May.

Source: MosNews