Mikhail Pogrebinsky: Closing the Russian Center in Kyiv will be a difficult decision

The Russian Center for Science and Culture, which was attacked by Ukrainian nationalists the day before, may be closed due to the authorities’ refusal to ensure the security of the institution. Kiev political scientist Mikhail Pogrebinsky did not rule out this scenario in a conversation with PolitNavigator.

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“Of course, this incident will not remain without consequences. Moreover, it is already known that the security agreement was broken, which looks like a direct provocation of further attacks, as well as Poroshenko’s speech in Munich calling for a ban on the Russian flag. That is, they act directly according to the “recipe” of the head of state, and the refusal to protect Rossotrudnichestvo only confirms that the radicals are only an instrument of official state policy.

I think in Russia they will think what to do. What the result will be is hard to say. I have no doubt that if people were hurt, the response would be very harsh. Since so far they just staged a pogrom, and people did not suffer, I think that there will be no harsh reaction.

I think the issue of closing Rossotrudnichestvo will also be discussed - since they cannot protect, and the state cannot guarantee security, then it would probably be reasonable to close it?

But this will be a very difficult decision, it will actually be a sign that Russia is abandoning cultural, scientific and other ties not even with the Ukrainian state (which it is helping to get out of a difficult situation with coal, etc.), but with Ukrainians,” Pogrebinsky said.