Putin: Yushchenko 'spat in the face' of his supporters by declaring Bandera national hero

Novo-Ogaryovo, February 15 (Interfax) - Ukraine's outgoing president Victor Yushchenko insulted his political supporters by declaring controversial World War II figure Stepan Bandera a national hero, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said. "Developments over recent months did not come as a surprise. The leaders of the 'colored movement', in fact spat in their political sponsors' faces by issuing a decree which declares Stepan Bandera a national hero," Putin told Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Novo-Ogaryovo on Feb. 15.Bandera "slurred himself cooperating with the fascists. He was also known for his cruel punitive treatment of Jews and Poles," Putin said.