Russian Ambassador to Japan Replies to Mayors' Criticism Over Crimea Film

The Russian ambassador to Japan sent letters to mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki after they criticized Vladimir Putin's words regarding deployment of nuclear weapons in the documentary on Crimea's reunification with Russia.

TOKYO (Sputnik) – Evgeny Afanasiev, Russian ambassador in Tokyo, wrote in a letter to the mayor of Hiroshima:

"I cannot accept your 'protest' as [it is] unfounded and based on false interpretations of what President Vladimir Putin said."

In the documentary "Crimea: Way Back Home," Putin claimed that Russia was ready to place nuclear weapons on alert to protect the people living in Crimea. The Western media distorted Putin's words, implying it was a statement of aggression.

Following the release of the film, the Kremlin stated that the distortions made by the West were in error, and clarified that the Russian president opposed any escalation of tensions and did not seek a return to a cold war standoff.

Despite the fact that Kremlin dismissed the claims, mayors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki made their protest earlier this month.

Afanasiev also said that the letter the mayor of Nagasaki wrote to him earlier this month was "full of unfounded accusations" towards Russia.

The ambassador urged both officials to remember that Russia is one of the sigantories of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and seeks a nuclear-free world.

Crimea rejoined Russia in March 2014, after 96 percent of the peninsula's population voted in favor of a reunification deal.

The United States, the European Union and their allies have refused to recognize the reunification, claiming it violates Ukraine's territorial integrity, and have introduced several rounds of economic sanctions against Moscow.