Russian President Vladimir Putin apparently cut out a blistering critique of Ukrainian authorities in a speech to human rights advocates last week, as he seeks to carve out a peace deal with his country’s neighbor.
In a draft prepared by Putin’s speechwriters and obtained by TIME, the president was set to accuse Ukrainian authorities of the “mass destruction of their own citizens” during their ongoing conflict with Moscow-backed separatist rebels. But at the last moment, Putin appears to have dropped that line. The speech, as he delivered it on Dec. 5, made no mention of Ukraine whatsoever.
Reached by TIME on Monday, …read more
Source: Time
