German navy chief resigns over Putin comments

Berlin, Jan. 23 (BNA): The German navy chief resigned on Saturday after he drew criticism for saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin deserves respect and that Kiev will not take back Crimea, which it annexed from Moscow.

“I have asked Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht to relieve me of my duties immediately,” Vice Admiral Kay Achim Schoenbach said in a statement. “The Minister accepted my request.”

Schoenbach made the remarks at a debate for a think-tank in India on Friday, and a video was posted on social media, Reuters reported.

The comments came at a sensitive time as Russia massed tens of thousands of troops on Ukraine’s border.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called on Germany to publicly reject the statements of the commander of the navy. Ukraine said in a statement that Schoenbach’s comments could weaken Western efforts to calm the situation.

“Ukraine is grateful to Germany for the support it has already provided since 2014, as well as for diplomatic efforts to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict. But Germany’s current statements are disappointing and contradict this support and efforts,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said separately in a tweet.

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