Ukrainian Delegation Boycott Putin's U.N. Speech

Ukraine's delegation to the U.N. boycotted Russian President Vladimir Putin's speech on Monday afternoon, a day after Russian delegates walked out during Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's address to the assembly, Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform reports.

"The delegation left [the assembly] as a symbol of protest of the continuing, unconcealable aggression of Moscow against Ukraine," a diplomatic source told Ukrinform.

Seating in the assembly hall had been allocated on a random basis but by chance the Ukrainian side had been given seats within 10 meters of the speaker, meaning that they would have been in the front row for Putin's speech. The Ukrainian delegates left as the Russian leader began to talk.

Ukrinform captured a series of photos of the moment when the delegation left their seats and Ukraine's 5 Kanal broadcast footage of the delegation leaving the room as Putin took to the floor.

Speaking to 5 Kanal, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin explained the decision to boycott the Russian leader's speech saying, "I personally have no desire to hear what Putin has to say and be in front of him during his speech, and neither does the Ukrainian delegation."

Ukrinform highlighted the fact that "not a single representative of Ukraine remained in the room."

During his speech Putin made several allegations about the nature of Ukraine's pro-European revolution which toppled pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych and installed the current government, referring to it as a coup "orchestrated from outside". Putin also blamed NATO expansion and the West's "logic of confrontation" for the Ukrainian crisis.

The Russian delegation left their seats as Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko took the floor on Sunday in protest to a speech that they perceived as "openly politicized" and "aggressive", Russian state news reported. One Russian delegate remained in the assembly to hear the speech which a Russian diplomatic source told state news out of "custom".