Russian Consul Lays Blame On The United States

Wanganui Chronicle, 18 August 1948, Page 5

Russian Consul Lays Blame On The United States

Says Woman Tried To Take Own Life; Afraid Of Police, Press, Radio (N.Z.P. A.—Copyright.) Received 8.20 p.m. NEW YORK, Aug. 16 The Russian Consul-General (Mr. Jacob Lomakin) said today Mrs. Kostnkina was attempting to take her own life when she leaped from a window of the Consulate on Thursday, and blamed ■‘White Guard bandits” (anti-Comniunist Russian refugees), the New York police and the courts, the American press and the radio.

Mr. Lomakin issued a statement at a press conference called at the Consulate to answer questions which reporters had submitted in writing. The statement made no reference to the questions, but set forth the Consul’s own version of the Kosenkina case.

The statement said that Mrs. Kosenkina had been submitted to drugs and torture while in the hands of White Guard bandits and these experiences had undermined her health and mental state even before Mr. Lomakin rescued her from her kidnappers on August 7. The statement said that after t.ie rescue all necessary measures were taken for restoring her health and peace of mind, and she gradually began to recover.

“The only things which irritated and depressed her were the increased and continuous flow of hostile, malicious fabrications of the United States press and radio concerning the future of Mrs. Kosenkina and threats of the United States police and courts, through the press and radio, that she would be called by force to an American court,” said the statement.

The statement added that Mrs. Kosenkina repeatedly said: “I want to go home as soon as possible, because I am afraid of being caught again by those White Russian Guard fiends.”

According to the statement, Mrs. Kosenkina told the wives of two Consulate employees on Thursday that she could no longer stand persistent hostile crowds which gathered outside the Consulate, or threats of the police and courts to force her to appear in court. ‘While talking with two women she looked through a window and sdw a crowd running towards the Consulate.” the statement continued. "She ran away from the window in horror, and cried. ‘lt looks as if they are coming to get me.’ Then, losing control of herself, she rushed into the next room and leaped from the window.”

The statement continued: “It is clear that the responsibility for everything that has occurred lies with those who organised the kidnapping and committed violence towards Mrs. Kosenkina, a Soviet citizen. and with those American officials who, by their actions and statements, have caused a nervous breakdown of

J Mrs. Kosenkina which has driven her to an attempt of suicide.” I The Soviet Vice-Consul (Mr. Chepurnykh) described today as “not I true a police statement that Mrs. (Kosenkina pointed to him from her hospital bed last week and accused him of holding her prisoner in the Soviet Consulate. He added that only a few words were spoken during a brief visit which, he said, was terminated when a police inspector announced “that’s all,” and pushed him [ from the room. | The “Washington Post” demanded I todav that the United States GovI ernment declare the Soviet Am- ; bassador. Mr. Panyushkin, persona ,non grata because of his actions in : the case of the Russian school , teachers, who are resisting orders to ; return to Russia. The newspaper ‘said the Ambassador was contesting i two American rights—the right of i the United States to give asylum to foreigners seeking it, and United [States jurisdiction over foreigners iwithin its borders. | Countess Tolstoy, leader of White [Russians (Russians who do not wish i to return to Russia), said: “I do not I feel disturbed by Mr. Lomakin’s .statement. I have a clear conscience and have done no harm to anybody. Mr. Lomakin tertainly persists in ! standing back of his lies, obviously [because he has no other way out. The poor man is so scared he does Snot know what to say. How can he go back on the lies he told Mr. Molotov in Moscow? It is absurd for anyone to take him seriously.” The “New York Times” this morning reports that it has learned from trustworthy sources that an exhaustive report by the Police Department says the charges that Mrs. Kosenkina was kidnapped are unfounded. Copies of the police report, the contents of which have been kept secret, have been given to the District Attorney and the United States AttorneyGeneral and a copy was received yesterday by the State Department. It is on that the State Department will base its answer to Soviet protests, ‘The Times” says. It is learned the report contains a complete stenographic statement from Mrs. Kosenkina given to the police in question and answer form through a competent interpreter. In it she refutes completely Mr. Lomakin’s statement, and says she jumped from the window to escape being held in the building. The police report, which originated from a complaint by the Soviet Consul-General to the Police Commissioner, closes with the considered police opinion that the “charge of kidnapping is unfounded.”