Russia warns US decision to arm Ukraine encourages ‘new bloodshed’
Russia warned Saturday that the United States was encouraging “new bloodshed” in eastern Ukraine by its decision to provide the ex-soviet nation with lethal weapons.
The stern warning came after a new cease-fire deal between Ukraine and pro-russian forces went into effect from midnight Saturday ahead of the New Year and Orthodox Christmas holidays, AFP reported.
In a strongly-worded statement Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov accused the US of “crossing the line” and fomenting the conflict in eastern Ukraine, a region known locally as Donbass.
“Kiev revanchists are shooting at Donbass every day, they don’t want to conduct peace negotiations and dream of doing away with the disobedient population. And the United States has decided to give them weapons to do that,” Ryabkov said.
“Today, the United States clearly pushes (Ukrainian authorities) toward new bloodshed,” he said, adding: “American weapons can lead to new victims” in the neighboring country.
Grigory Karasin, another deputy foreign minister, said the US move would undermine efforts to reach a political settlement in Ukraine.
“Essentially this decision undermines the work to implement the 2015 Minsk agreements,” Karasin told TASS news agency, referring to a Western-brokered peace deal.
He said Washington chose to support “the party of war” in Kiev. “This is unacceptable,” he added.
He reiterated Russia’s position that Ukrainian authorities should negotiate with pro-russians through “honest and direct dialogue.”
“There is no other way to solve the internal Ukrainian conflict.”
The US State Department announced Friday that Washington had “decided to provide Ukraine enhanced defensive capabilities as part of our effort to help Ukraine build its long-term defense capacity.”
An ABC news report before the announcement said the US planned to supply Ukraine with anti-tank missiles, including possibly the advanced Javelin system, citing four State Department officials.
“The total defense package of $47 million includes the sale of 210 anti-tank missiles and 35 launchers,” the report added.
Ukraine welcomed Washington’s announcement, saying it would help contain Russia.
Despite a new cease-fire, Ukrainian military spokesman Vasyl Labay accused pro-russians of shooting at government positions and seeking to thwart the latest truce.
Senior pro-russian representative Eduard Basurin told local reporters that attacks by government troops had decreased but added that the Kiev army still tried to provoke the pro-russians into opening return fire.
Since the start of the conflict over three years ago more than 10 such cease-fires have been declared but all of them have been violated.
More than 10,000 people have died and almost 24,000 have been injured since the conflict broke out in eastern Ukraine in April 2014.