US taking direct hand in conflict, says Kremlin
Americans accused of providing Ukraine with real-time data to assist attacks on Russian forces
‘[Russia] will keep in mind an official confession’
‘The supplied weapons come not only with manuals but, in this case, the US plays the role of gunners in its purest form’
THE Russian military yesterday accused the United States of being “directly involved” in the war in Ukraine by providing Kyiv with realtime information that allowed it to launch assaults on Russian targets using Us-supplied systems.
The accusation marks a major escalation of rhetoric. Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian defence ministry, yesterday quoted a Telegraph interview with a top Ukrainian intelligence official who said Britain and the US have helped Kyiv with “minute-tominute, real-time information of all kinds”.
Mr Konashenkov said the Russian military “has marked it and will keep in mind an official confession” by Maj Gen Vadym Skibitsky, acting deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence.
“This is the ultimate proof that Washington, despite the White House and the Pentagon’s claims, is directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine,” he said.
In the interview, published on Monday, Maj Gen Skibitsky insisted that the US does not provide direct targeting information, which would undermine their case for not being direct participants in the war.
However, he did suggest there was a level of consultation between the two countries that would allow the US to stop any potential attack if it were unhappy with the intended target.
Russia said it amounted to an admission that Washington co-ordinates Himars missile strikes.
Us-supplied Himars, a long-range artillery rocket system, have been a major irritant for Russia as Ukraine finally seems to be in possession of a weapon that allows it to strike targets deep behind the front lines with high precision.
The Ukrainian military last month launched several Himars missiles on a key bridge near Russian-occupied Kherson, paralysing supplies and reinforcements for Russian troops without destroying the major piece of infrastructure.
Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s defence minister, yesterday claimed that Russia had destroyed six Himars systems since the start of the war as he accused the US of “out-of-control weapons supplies to Ukraine that pose a grave threat to the security of the region”.
Maria Zakharova, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesman, yesterday chimed in to lash out at America’s role in the war. “No other confirmation of the direct involvement of the US in the hostilities in Ukraine is required,” he said. “The supplied weapons come, not only with manuals on how to use them but, in this case, (the US) plays the role of gunners in its purest form.”
Earlier yesterday, Margarita Simonyan, the influential editor-in-chief of state-owned RT, also latched on to The
Daily Telegraph’s interview with the Ukrainian general to blame the US for killing civilians in Ukraine.
In a tweet, she listed recent shelling in Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine as well as last week’s missile strike on a prison near the Russian-held Donetsk and pointed the finger at the US president: “[Joe] Biden personally is responsible for all of that.”
US officials told media this week that no traces of Himars were found at the site of the prison attack that killed dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war, instead blaming Moscow.
Moscow’s accusations come at a time when Ukraine is heavily lobbying the US to declare Russia a sponsor of terrorism over its invasion.
Ms Zakharova also threatened to break off diplomatic ties with Washington if the motion to blacklist Russia is adopted, something she said would be a “point of no return” in relations between the two countries.
“They need to know: We’re prepared for any developments, and we’re going to survive if Washington were to decide to completely stop any co-operation with Moscow,” she told reporters.