US cannot be trusted over long-range weapon ban on Ukraine: Russia
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Russia's ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov describes Joe Biden's administration as unpredictable, implying the US ban on long-range weapons against Ukraine may be lifted.
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Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov speaks about US-Russian relations during a discussion at the Henry L. Stimson Center on March 4, 2019. (AFP)
Washington's claims of banning Ukraine from using US-supplied long-range weapons for deep strikes into Russian territory cannot be trusted, Moscow's ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky resumed calls with the US to allow Kiev's troops to use long-range weapons during its ongoing incursion in the Kursk Region.
However, last week, the Pentagon reiterated its stance of preventing the former Soviet nation from using the US-supplied ATACMS missiles, which have a range of up to 300km, for strikes inside Russian territory.
US 'preparing ground to remove restrictions'
US officials “seem to be constantly teasing us by saying that today it is allegedly not allowed to use long-range systems to strike at Russian territory," Antonov told journalists on Friday, adding that "in reality, they are essentially preparing the ground to simply remove all existing restrictions, at a certain point."
The Russian envoy based his judgment on the US' previous support of Kiev during its war with Moscow, expressing his certainty to TASS that Ukraine will “fight with US-made [long-range] weapons against us,” adding “Where exactly will it happen? We cannot say or foretell."
The ambassador described US President Joe Biden's administration as becoming unpredictable, highlighting, “There is no guarantee that the whole world will not change tomorrow when you and I wake up. How the Americans will behave in this situation is very hard to tell."
Antonov insisted that as a result, Russia must “act decisively, increasing our military-industrial potential, because only our army and navy will protect our country."
Antonov rejects US claims on Kursk incursion
The ambassador appeared on Russia's Channel One on Thursday, rejecting claims by US officials that they were unaware of Ukraine's Kursk Region incursion.
“I am firmly convinced that in Kiev they do nothing without the go-ahead from their masters… They wouldn’t have dared to move a finger… in our direction without consent from Washington,” he said.
Despite the Ukrainian forces' advancement into Russian territory, Antonov insisted that “no one has any doubts that they will be destroyed, not pushed back, but destroyed.”
His statement was backed by the Russian Defense Ministry's report shared on Thursday, revealing that more than 4,700 Ukrainian troops and hundreds of military equipment have been lost since the beginning of the incursion on August 6.
Ukrainian offensive stopped across Kursk
Ukrainian forces’ attempts to advance have been halted across the entirety of Russia's Kursk region, with their key resources eliminated, confirmed Apti Alaudinov, commander of the Akhmat special forces, adding that Russian troops were now focusing on clearing settlements.
Ukraine launched a large-scale surprise offensive into the Kursk region on August 6.
The commander indicated that the destruction of major Ukrainian resources, including forward echelons, "inflicted very heavy damage on the enemy. They lost a lot of equipment, tanks, armored vehicles and a lot of infantry."
"I think at the moment, we no longer have to worry that the enemy, no matter how many more resources he has, could pass through the area where we're situated," he affirmed.
Alaudinov also emphasized that the Ukrainian forces were stopped in an unfavorable position and have now begun entrenching themselves.
The commander revealed the involvement of a huge number of foreign mercenaries, including servicemen from NATO countries, in the Kursk operation.
According to Alaudinov, the Kursk operation was orchestrated by NATO powers to divert Russian attention and impede progress in other areas, accompanied by war crimes committed by Ukrainian forces.
In an earlier interview with a Chinese war correspondent, Alaudinov estimated that fighting in the Kursk region and the broader special military operation in Ukraine could conclude within the next two to three months.
On Monday, he reported receiving photographic evidence of Russian civilians being "shot point-blank, in the head, in the back of the head," vowing that these acts would be avenged.
