Greece protests to Russia over ethnic Greek civilian deaths

Greece on Saturday said it would summon the Russian ambassador to protest the deaths of six ethnic Greek civilians during the bombing of a Ukrainian village.

"Greece expresses its abhorrence and condemns outright the bombing of civilians by a Russian aircraft on the outskirts of the village of Sartana earlier today, which resulted in the death of six ethnic Greeks and the injury of six others, including a child," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The Russian ambassador was summoned to the foreign ministry on Sunday, the ministry said.

It added that Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias had "urgently" raised the protection of over 100,000 ethnic Greeks in Ukraine during a meeting with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov a few days before the Russian invasion.

Athens had also taken Kyiv to task earlier this month when an ethnic Greek died in a brawl in eastern Ukraine which Athens blamed on Ukrainian soldiers.

Greece on Friday closed its embassy in Kyiv, but has reinforced its consular presence in Mariupol, the heart of the ethnic Greek community that dates to the 18th century.

Despite historic links to Russia, Greece has condemned the attack as "revisionist" and has supported sanctions against Moscow.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Saturday said in a phonecall with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Athens was sending medical supplies in assistance.

jph