Coup-Imposed Poroshenko Accuses Russia of Attempts to Stir Revolution in Ukraine

Ukraine's leader accused Moscow of preparing a "Third Maidan" revolt.

KIEV (Sputnik) — The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) found out that there were plans to destabilize the situation in Ukraine prepared at the order of Russia, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Wednesday.

"The Security Service of Ukraine has recently discovered [infiltrators], they were working on various measures to destabilize the situation in Ukraine at the direct order from Russia, they were managing websites, gathering groups of hundreds of thousands of people called 'Ukrainian Revolution' or 'Third Maidan,'" Poroshenko said.

According to the president, there were calls for "the third Maidan" to provoke clashes during the events organized to mark the anniversary of the 2014 protests this week.

Various events were held on February 18-22 in the Ukrainian capital with the security tightened in Kiev's center.

The relationship between Russia and Ukraine has worsened since Kiev launched a military campaign against the two regions in the east of the country in 2014, when Donetsk and Lugansk residents refused to recognize the new coup-imposed government and proclaimed independence.

The Kremlin has not commented on Poroshenko's allegations yet.

Moscow, which serves as a guarantor of the ceasefire agreement reached by Kiev and the two breakaway regions in Minsk in 2015, has repeatedly stated that it wishes for the successful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict.