Russia has complained that the failure to invite its representatives to the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II is “blasphemous” and “profoundly immoral”.
“We view this British attempt to use a national tragedy that has touched the hearts of millions of people around the world for geopolitical purposes to settle scores with our country during the days of mourning as profoundly immoral,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova complained in comments quoted by Sky News.
“This is especially blasphemous to the memory of Elizabeth II, who is known to have served during World War II in the territorial defence ranks of the British Armed Forces fighting the Nazis,” stressed the Russian — her country’s own experience in what they call the Great Patriotic War being foundational to its modern-day national identity.
Invitations to attend the state funeral have been extended to world leaders across the globe, with Russia, allied Belarus, Buma (Myanmar), Assad-led Syria, Taliban-led Afghanistan, and Maduro-led Venezuela so far the only governments to be snubbed.
Communist China has been invited — although some parliamentarians are lobbying against this — and so have the likes of North Korea and the Islamic Republic of Iran, if only at the ambassadorial level.
💬 #Zakharova: We have to say that Elizabeth II being an example of a very strong unifying force has not dissuaded London from making divisive statements in furtherance of its own opportunistic aims.
🔗 https://t.co/W68HV17Zn1 pic.twitter.com/9PbuiuKPaX
— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) September 15, 2022
President Vladimir Putin became to first Russian leader since the reign of Queen Victoria, when the tsars still ruled in Moscow and St Petersburg, to make a state visit to the United Kingdom in 2003 — a time when Russo-Western relations were developing along friendlier if still cautious lines.
Despite branding Britain its chief antagonist in Europe today, Putin still sent public condolences to King Charles III on the death of his mother, praising her as having “rightful enjoyed the love and respect of her subjects, as well as stature in the international arena” and wishing him “courage and perseverance in the face of this heavy, irreparable loss.”
Even after her missive on the failure to invite Russian representatives to the Queen’s funeral, Zakharova still added that “[f]or our part, we express our profound condolences to the British people for the great loss that befell them” — perhaps giving some indication of how highly regarded the late monarch was even among rival states.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (R) and Queen Elizabeth II (L) leave in an open carriage after the president was given a ceremonial welcome on Horse Guards Parade, by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in London on 24 June 2003. Mr Putin and his wife paid the first State Visit to the United Kingdom by a Russian leader since the reign of Queen Victoria. (NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP via Getty Images)
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