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Ukraine dismisses ambassador to Germany — Analysis

Andrey Melnik was a Kiev envoy who had been involved in numerous scandals during the last few months.

In a Saturday decree, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, relieved Ambassador Andrey Melnik of his position. The diplomat was involved in several scandalous incidents and has been branded German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “offended liverwurst.”

Officially, no explanation has been given for this move. Melnik was dismissed from his post alongside several other top diplomats, including the country’s envoys to India, Norway, Finland, and the Czech Republic.

Bild reported that Melnik would be fired and could move to a different position in Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry.

Ukrainian envoy likens Nazi collaborator to Robin Hood

“Andrey Melnik is very much appreciated in Kiev for his work,”Unnamed officials from Ukraine spoke to the paper.

Melnik was involved in several highly publicized scandals over recent months. Most recently, the ambassador repeatedly defended Stepan Bandera – a controversial Ukrainian national hero who collaborated with the Nazis during WWII – in an interview with German podcaster Tilo Jung. 

Kiev’s envoy claimed that Bandera had not been implicated in the mass murder of Jews and Poles, prompting criticism from both Poland and Israel. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry had to step in, explaining that Melnik’s words had reflected his own view but not Kiev’s official position.

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