Putin aide brands Poroshenko 'Nazi' ahead of EU deal

A senior adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin has lashed out at Ukraine's president ahead of the signing of a controversial EU deal, the BBC reported.

Sergei Glazyev said Petro Poroshenko was a "Nazi" and his endorsement of the deal was "illegitimate."

Mr Poroshenko is expected to sign the full association agreement at the EU summit in Brussels later.

A shaky ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian rebels are fighting government forces, is also due to end.

In another development early on Friday, rebels released four international observers captured more than a month ago.

Alexander Borodai, head of the self-styled Donetsk People's Republic, said the members of the Vienna-based Organisation for the Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) had been freed as a goodwill gesture.

"We don't expect anything in return - we freed them without any pre-conditions," he said.

The OSCE said it remains concerned about four other observers captured at about the same time.

Mr Glazyev, Mr Putin's presidential adviser on regional economic integration, told the BBC: "Europe is trying to push Ukraine to sign this agreement by force.

"They organised [a] military coup in Ukraine, they helped Nazis to come to power. This Nazi government is bombing the largest region in Ukraine."

Asked if he believed Mr Poroshenko was a Nazi he replied: "Of course."