Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s letter to his Ukrainian counterpart Victor Yushchenko demonstrates Moscow’s “imperialistic policy” aimed at undermining Ukraine from within, Giorgi Baramidze, Georgia’s vice-premier and state minister for Euro-Atlantic integration issues, said on August 11.

In a letter released by the Kremlin on August 11, President Medvedev blamed President Yushchenko for anti-Russian policies citing complaints ranging from Ukraine’s NATO aspirations and supply of arms to Georgia to Yushchenko’s support of Ukrainian Orthodox church outside Moscow’s control.

“A negative public reaction was caused by Ukraine's anti-Russian stance in connection with the brutal attack on South Ossetia by Saakashvili's regime. A year after those tragic events, once again the question of why civilians and Russian peacekeepers in Tskhinval were killed with Ukrainian weapons has arisen. Those in Kiev who supplied the Georgian army with weapons and, by the way, do not intend to stop doing so, fully share with Tbilisi the responsibility for the committed crimes,” the letter reads.

“Russia continues its imperialistic policy and Ukraine is now a target… and they [Russia] wants to stir tensions there ahead of presidential elections,” Giorgi Baramidze told Rustavi 2 TV.

“What happened last August in Georgia it was not simply Russia’s whim and it did not happen because of, as our opponents say it, we made mistakes, this was a well-planned strategy… as Russia wants to restore empire,” Baramidze said.

The Russian President’s letter became a top news of the national Georgian television stations with news program anchors asking repeatedly respondents, involving Georgian officials and analysts, whether it is possible or not by Russia to use military force to subdue Ukraine.

“There is no direct threat of war now, but Russia tries to lead the processes towards internal tensions in Ukraine,” Baramidze said. “Russia is not capable to engage in direct military conformation with Ukraine. Russia could even hardly deal with us [in last year’s war]. I do not think this [letter of the Russian President] is a preparation for war with Ukraine; they are simply preparing ground inside Ukraine to stir internal confrontation in there.”