A RUSSIAN representative has been dumped from a Burns Supper in a break with tradition in protest over the invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian consul-general based in Edinburgh usually joins the SNP branch in Trossachs and Teith in Stirlingshire for their annual celebration of the Scottish Bard.
READ MORE: 'No limit' on number of Ukrainian refugees allowed into UK via host scheme
But in a move that breaks with the custom of nearly a decade, the local branch has decided to invite the Ukrainian representative in the Scottish capital instead of the Russian Andrey Yakovlev.
Yakovlev was previously invited to the branch’s Burns Supper and St Andrew’s Day celebrations in recognition of the historic links between Russia and Scotland, said Fergus Wood who organises the night.
He told The National: “It’s all very sad.
“For years, they’ve come and brought bottles of vodka and all that and they’ve been our guests but we’ve had to say this has got to end, sadly.
“This year, the guest speaker proposing a toast to Scotland is a Ukrainian scientist Yuri Zadiraka.”
READ MORE: Boris Johnson urged to cancel visit to 'brutal and authoritarian' Saudi Arabia
They are also hoping the Ukrainian consul-general will attend the event on March 25 at Blair Drummond Hall.
It is unlikely the Russians will be invited back to the event until President Vladimir Putin’s regime ends, said Wood (above, second from right).
Their presence would “depend entirely on Russia’s policy towards Ukraine”.
He added: “I can’t see anything changing until Putin gets removed. He has a fixation on Ukraine and doesn’t view it as a nation.”
The event will see money raised to go towards humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
Russia shares Scotland’s love of Robert Burns with millions of copies of his poems having been sold in the country – in part due to the Soviet Union’s championing of the Ayrshire bard’s verse during the 20th century.
The country also shares the same patron saint as Scotland and the Russian Navy’s ensign is an inverted Scottish flag because both represent St Andrew’s cross.
St Andrew is also the patron saint of Ukraine and Greece.
The Ukrainian Consulate in Edinburgh confirmed they had received an invitation to the SNP event but did not say whether the consul-general would attend.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel