Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the US of prolonging the war in Ukraine as part of what he describes as Washington’s attempt to maintain its global hegemony.
“The situation in Ukraine shows that the United States is trying to pull the conflict out …”, the Russian president said on Tuesday during his speech at the opening of a security conference in Moscow.
He said Washington was “using the Ukrainian people as cannon fodder” and lashed out at the US for supplying Kyiv with weapons.
“They need conflict to keep their hegemony,” he said.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February, anticipating little military resistance and hoping for a quick takeover that would topple the government in Kyiv.
But after failing to capture the capital, the Russian army instead shifted its focus to the area east of the Donbas. What the Kremlin saw as a quick victory turned into a protracted war, thanks to Western nations supplying Ukraine with weapons.
The US has provided a staggering $50 billion in aid to Ukraine since February, as the country has steadfastly stood behind Kyiv in the wake of Russia’s aggression.
Long-range and precision artillery is part of a $9 billion US military aid that allows Ukraine to strike Russian supply facilities deep inside territory controlled by Moscow.
Explosion in Crimea
Huge fireballs erupted at the site in Kremlin-controlled Crimea early Tuesday, where ammunition is temporarily stored. Russia’s state news agency TASS, citing the Defense Ministry, said the explosion was the result of “sabotage”.
Tuesday’s explosions come a week after at least one person was killed and five others injured in similar explosions at a Russian airbase in Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.
Ukraine has not directly claimed responsibility for either incident in Crimea.
Speaking at the conference in Moscow, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu alleged that along with supplying weapons to Ukraine, Western allies also provided detailed intelligence and deployed guides. to help the Ukrainian military operate weapons systems.
“Western intelligence agencies not only provide target coordinates to launch attacks, but Western experts also monitor the input of that data into weapon systems,” Shoigu said.
At a security conference on Tuesday attended by military officials from Africa, Asia and Latin America, Putin reaffirmed his long-standing claim that he sent troops into Ukraine in response to the invasion of Ukraine. Washington turned the country into an “anti-Russian” wall.
He drew parallels between US support for Ukraine and US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taiwan, accusing both of being part of an alleged US effort to destabilize. Global.
“The American adventure in Taiwan is not just the trip of an irresponsible politician. It is part of America’s deliberate and conscious strategy to destabilize the situation and create chaos in the region and around the world, a blatant display of disrespect for sovereignty. rights of another country and its international obligations,” Putin said.
“The era of unipolar world order is coming to an end,” he added.
Food aid ship heading to Africa
Ukraine’s presidential aide Mykhailo Podolyak on Tuesday said the latest explosions in Dzhankoi, Crimea are a “reminder” that “Russian-occupied Crimea is about warehouse explosions and the high risk of death for invaders and thieves”.
He said the explosions were an “act of demilitarization” – using the same term Russia used to justify its invasion of Ukraine.
Meanwhile, in the eastern Donbas region, which has seen most of the fighting, Ukraine said Russia launched a “large-scale” attack from an oil refinery in the city of Lysychansk. , Luhansk province has just been occupied.
Ukraine’s president said one woman was killed and two others wounded in Donetsk province, which together with Luhansk make up the industrial Donbas now mostly controlled by Russian forces.
Kyiv and Moscow have also brought accusations of involvement in a series of air strikes this month on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine – Europe’s largest.
On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that a “catastrophe” at the Russian-controlled facility would threaten the whole of Europe.
Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Shoigu dismissed accusations that Moscow has the ability to use nuclear or chemical weapons in the conflict as an “absolute lie”.
“From a military point of view, Ukraine does not need to use nuclear weapons to achieve the stated goals,” Shoigu said. “The main task of the Russian nuclear force is to provide deterrence against a nuclear attack.”
Meanwhile, the first ship chartered by the United Nations full of grain has left Ukraine for Africa following a landmark deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations to relieve the food crisis. Global.
The MV Brave Commander, loaded with 23,000 tonnes of wheat, was able to leave after an agreement was reached last month to lift Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian ports and establish safe passage corridors. naval mines laid by Kyiv.
Ukraine said it hopes to have two or three similar shipments soon.
