Poroshenko Should Have Thanked Ukrainian Vets, Not Foreign Leaders - Peskov

Commenting on the Ukrainian president's decision to thank foreign leaders deciding not to come to Moscow for Victory Day celebrations, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitri Peskov stated that Poroshenko should have thanked Ukrainian Second World War veterans who freed the country from fascism instead.

Speaking at a historical-political forum on Thursday in Gdansk, Poland, the Ukrainian president stated that "on behalf of the people of Ukraine, I am thankful to many world leaders who have refused to participate in the parade in Moscow."

Asked to comment Poroshenko's statement, Peskov noted that "we would much rather see the president of Ukraine thank Ukrainian war veterans for their feat in liberating Ukraine from fascism."

Over six million Ukrainians fought in the ranks of the Soviet Red Army during the Second World War, alongside over a hundred other nationalities. An estimated 1.37 million Ukrainian Red Army soldiers died defending their country. In the course of fighting and the subsequent occupation, Ukraine also suffered over 5.2 million civilian casualties, hence losing nearly 15 percent of its entire pre-war population. Over 2,000 Ukrainians were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest distinction possible, awarded for heroic feats.