Russian troops will destroy any weapons that Western countries supply to Ukraine and will not leave unanswered strikes on their territory, including Crimea. This was announced on January 18 by Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov.
“It should become obvious to everyone: no matter what weapons the Americans or NATO supply to the regime (Vladimir. – Ed.) Zelensky, we will destroy it. So it was during the Great Patriotic War, so it will be now,” Antonov said.
According to him, pumping up Ukraine with weapons will only lead to even more civilian casualties. Antonov urged to listen to the words of President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about the impossibility of defeating Russia.
The ambassador also commented on the statements of State Department spokesman Ned Price about the possibility of using American weapons to attack Crimea and publications in foreign media about the possible use of HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) or Bradley infantry fighting vehicles to attack the peninsula.
“We note that the rhetoric of American officials is becoming more and more militant. The State Department, through statements divorced from reality that “Crimea is Ukraine”, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine can use American weapons to protect their territory, in fact, pushes the Kyiv regime to commit terrorist acts in Russia,” the ambassador said.
Antonov noted that the risks of escalating the conflict in this case would become even higher. The ambassador warned against strikes on Russian territory, as the country would react to them.
Earlier in the day, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said Ukraine has the right to use Western weapons as it sees fit for security reasons. Thus, he commented on the possibility of strikes on the Crimea. According to him, Washington is in constant contact with Kyiv, but does not dictate its own rules to it.
On the eve of the director of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) of Russia, Sergei Naryshkin, said that the return of the Crimean peninsula under the control of Ukraine is impossible.
On December 26, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Kirill Budanov, said that Kyiv intends to take Crimea in a “combined way” – by force and diplomacy.
Crimea became part of Russia in 2014 after a referendum in which the majority of participants voted for reunification with the Russian Federation. Kyiv refuses to recognize the results of the vote and considers Crimea its territory. The leadership of the Russian Federation has repeatedly emphasized that the inhabitants of Crimea have declared their position in a democratic way, in full accordance with international law, thus, the issue of the geopolitical belonging of the peninsula is finally closed.
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