Following reports that Prince Charles had likened President Vladimir Putin to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, Russia has demanded an explanation.
While speaking with a woman who fled from Poland to Canada in order to escape the atrocities of World War II, Prince Charles allegedly pointed to Russia's actions in Ukraine and said, "now Putin is doing just about the same as Hitler," The Daily Mail reported Tuesday.
In response to the allegations, the Foreign Ministry filed an official request with the British Foreign Office seeking an explanation of the matter.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich characterized Russia's reaction to the statements as one of "indignation" during a briefing Thursday, adding "If these words were actually said, than they without a doubt did not do any honor to the future British monarch.
Lukashevich went on to make clear his discontent with Western-media hype surrounding the alleged comments. "We see the use by Western mass media of the British royal family as part of its unfolding propaganda campaign against Russia [with regard to the Ukraine crisis] as unacceptable, outrageous, and low," he said.
The Foreign Ministry will wait for a response from British authorities before discussing any potential fallout, Lukashevich added.
The ministry spokesman also called attention to British politicians reactions to the statements, such as Labour MP Mike Gape's Twitter message that "Monarchy should be seen and not heard."
Both Western and Russian press exploded into a tizzy of speculation after news of the comments broke in the lead-up to a meeting at a World War II memorial in France that both leaders are expected to attend next month.
The prince's press service told RIA Novosti that he has no meetings with Putin planned and that it does not comment on the prince's private conversations, adding that no apology was forthcoming.
Contact the author at c.brennan@imedia.ru
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