Diplomatic Correspondent, Dhaka: Russian ambassador to Dhaka Alexander Mantytskiy has said that Russia is not in any contest with the US or the West to spread influence in Bangladesh.
He made the remarks during a press briefing at the Russian embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday.
The Russian Navy helped Bangladesh in the mine operations in the Chattogram port after the liberation war in 1971.
”Although we are here to discuss the mine operations conducted by the then Russian Navy, in between 1972 and 1974, I want to say that we are not in any competition with the US or the West to spread our influence in Bangladesh”
Two members of the then Russian Navy, who worked in the mine operations at the Chattogram port, are visiting Bangladesh at the moment on the occasion of victory day. They reminisced about those days at the press briefing.
Earlier on 15 December, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova alleged that the US wants another ‘Arab Spring’ in Bangladesh.
Asked about her remarks, the Russian ambassador to Bangladesh said, “Although we are here to discuss the mine operations conducted by the then Russian Navy, in between 1972 and 1974, I want to say that we are not in any competition with the US or the West to spread our influence in Bangladesh.”
“We are just saying what the West has done here and what they are up to now. I have already said this several times,” Alexander Mantytskiy added.
He said the Russian spokesperson compared the incidents happening in Dhaka with the incidents in Ukraine 10 years ago. They ousted an elected government in Ukraine. The US was directly involved in this. Later, they (USA) even admitted that they spent USD 5 billion to conduct the revolution.
