The Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Levan Dzhagaryan, has issued strong criticism of former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom over his recent comments on Russia's military operations in Ukraine.

On August 27, Maumoon took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his discontent regarding the ongoing Russian airstrikes in Ukraine. In his post, the former president questioned the silence of the United Nations Security Council in the wake of the intensified attacks.

In response, the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka shared a comment from Ambassador Dzhagaryan on its official X account, in which the envoy rebuked Maumoon's stance. Dzhagaryan emphasized Russia's justification for its actions, citing civilian casualties in Ukraine's Donbas region caused by the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The ambassador further highlighted that Russia had made multiple peace proposals to Ukraine since 2022, all of which were rejected. He accused Western powers, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, of obstructing peace efforts and encouraging Ukraine to prolong the conflict. Dzhagaryan also urged Maumoon to avoid falling into the "double standards" of Western policies and to show equal concern for the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, another conflict the UN Security Council has failed to address.

The exchange underscores the broader global tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict and reflects ongoing diplomatic friction between Russia and Western-aligned nations.