Russia has called for Ukraine’s acting foreign minister to resign after his use of a swear word when describing President Vladimir Putin to protesters on Saturday.

Andriy Deshchytsia had gone to calm a rally outside the Russian embassy in Kyiv but sided with the demonstrators using offensive language about the Russian leader.

The protesters then repeated the minister’s remarks adding to the fury of Moscow.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he had been outraged by the inaction of Kyiv to allow the protest in the first place which had turned violent outside the embassy: “I was very shocked by the fact that the acting Ukrainian foreign minister arrived either to admonish the turbulent mob or to take part in this orgy, but took the liberty to use such language.
(...) .I don’t know how he can now talk and work with us.”

Saturday’s disturbance in Kyiv occurred when several hundred protesters hurled eggs and paint at the Russian embassy.

One petrol bomb was also thrown as banners calling ‘Russians killers’ were held aloft.
The protest was triggered by the recent downing of a military plane by pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Kyiv accuses Russia of supplying the anti-aircraft weapons used in the incident which killed all 49 people on board.