NATO’s involvement in Ukraine threatens with “unexpected” escalation – #NATOs #involvement #Ukraine #threatens #unexpected #escalation
February 7 (Reuters) – Russia’s defense minister said on Tuesday that Western arms supplies to Ukraine NATOactually drags it into the conflict and warned that it could lead to an “unexpected” escalation.
“USA and its allies are trying to prolong the conflict as much as possible”, – Minister of Defense Sergey Shoigu military he said in a conference with officials.
“For this, they openly called on Ukraine to seize our territories and started providing heavy offensive weapons. In fact, such steps NATO it drags their countries into conflict and can lead to an unexpected level of escalation.”
His allusion to “our territories.” of Ukraine It seemed to be a reference to the four regions in the east and south – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia and Kherson – that Russia in September of last year Kyiv and claims it annexed after a referendum condemned as illegal by its Western allies.
Most of the territory in the regions claimed by Russia of Ukraine is in hand.
WESTERN ARMS
Moscow repeatedly Western and NATO military alliance by giving weapons to Kiev Ukraine accused of playing a direct role in the conflict and warned that NATO weapons are “legitimate targets” for its armed forces.
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USA Russia to Ukraine since last February 20 billion more than dollars military sent aid and announced last week 2 billion is preparing to supply Kiev with longer-range missiles as part of a new arms package.
Ukraine says that Russia Weapons and other military equipment, including tanks, are urgently needed to prevent their attacks and increase firepower for a spring offensive against Moscow’s forces. Ukraine officials say Moscow is stockpiling weapons and supplies for another attack in the coming weeks.
Shoigu also said on Tuesday that Vuhledar and of Ukraine near the city of Bakhmut in the east – where Russia has intensified its attacks – military operations are “progressing well”.
The fighting is centered around the Ukrainian-held city of Bakhmut in eastern Donetsk region, which Russia has been trying to encircle for months.
Moscow also launched an attack further south on the Ukrainian-held fortress of Vuhledar at the strategic intersection of the eastern and southern front lines.
Written by Caleb Davis, edited by Gareth Jones
Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
2023-02-07 16:09:56
Source – reuters
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