Trump attacked by Moscow for arms sales to Ukraine

The Trump administration has approved the export of lethal small arms, including a multi-million-dollar sniper rifle deal, to Ukraine, ramping up support for its simmering conflict with Russian-backed separatists.

Moscow condemned the move as likely to escalate violence.

Heather Nauert, a state department spokesman, said the licence for US manufacturers to sell .50 calibre firearms and smaller weapons, including assault rifles, combat shotguns, silencers, military scopes and flash suppressors, was “nothing new” since Ukraine had previously purchased small amounts of such items.

Soldiers in Ukraine this week told

The Daily Telegraph they were outgunned by separatist snipers.

Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokesman, said the US was encouraging “massive bloodshed” and becoming an “accomplice to murder” in a conflict that has already claimed more than 10,300 lives.