Medvedev blasts Ukraine for causing worst crisis in ties

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MOSCOW, Aug 11 (AFP): President Dmitry Medvedev Tuesday furiously attacked Ukrainian counterpart Viktor Yushchenko, saying his administration was anti-Russian and had caused the worst crisis in ties since the Soviet collapse.
Medvedev said that Moscow would not be sending a new ambassador to Kiev due to the policies of Yushchenko, who was ignoring "principles of friendship and partnership with Russia".
Yushchenko took power in the wake of the 2004 Orange Revolution that ousted the old pro-Moscow elite in Ukraine and set his country on a course towards membership of NATO and the European Union that irked Russia.
"I want to inform you that under the current anti-Russian course of the Ukrainian leadership, I have taken a decision to postpone sending a new ambassador to Kiev," Medvedev said in the letter to the Ukrainian president.
Ukraine is to hold crucial presidential elections on January 17 in which pro-Western forces are again expected to square up against figures more loyal to Russia.
"Russia hopes a new political leadership in Ukraine will be ready to create relations between our people that respond to the real hopes of our people," Medvedev added in the letter, excerpts of which were published by the Kremlin.
He said in a video blog also released by the Kremlin that "the strain in our relations between our two countries has hit unprecedented levels".
Russia had been due to send a new envoy to Ukraine after the departure of its last ambassador, former Russian prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin.
Medvedev fired off a litany of accusations at the Ukrainian leadership over Moscow's war last year with Georgia, historical disputes, language, the economy and religion.