As delivered by Ambassador Daniel B. Baer to the Permanent Council, Vienna | September 4, 2014
NATO has released satellite imagery publically. There has been a lot of evidence that has been made publically available, both by governments and official organizations, as well as a host of open source available material, so I feel no burden to prove the presence of a Russian hand behind the violence, and Russia hands acting inside Ukraine. I think the burden is actually on the Russians, although it would be an impossible to task to ask them to complete.
I do think that it’s important that colleagues recognize that there has been a pattern over the last several months of denials that have been proven false and then eventually acknowledged as such.
And here, again, I feel sorry for the Russian mothers who are losing their sons in Ukraine, while the Russian government denies that and denies the dignity of their lives.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
