US weapons employed beyond Ukraine conflict zone, says Lavrov
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reveals that US weapons have been deployed against various targets within Russia, extending beyond the conflict zone in Ukraine.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends his annual news conference in Moscow, Russia, on January 18, 2024. (AP)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Friday that US weapons have already been used against various targets within Russia, beyond the conflict zone in Ukraine.
"US weapons have already been used on a wide variety of targets outside the conflict zone [in Ukraine]. Therefore, the fact that the Americans are trying to make some calming statements for their own public opinion or for NATO members or to show that a decision has not yet been made is, in my opinion, all a ruse," Lavrov told reporters.
The minister added that Russia believes US weapons are targeting civilian infrastructure within Russian territory, and holds Washington responsible for these actions.
Why it matters
Since the onset of the NATO-orchestrated war in Ukraine, Western nations, including the US, have been furnishing substantial military and financial assistance to Kiev. Despite consistent warnings from the Kremlin against ongoing arms deliveries to Kiev, citing potential escalation of the conflict, support from Western countries persists.
On that note, earlier last month, Ukraine secretly received long-range missiles from the United States for the first time in two years – since the start of the war – and Ukraine has already used them twice to strike deep behind Russian lines, Politico reported.
Citing a senior Biden administration official and two US officials, the report by Politico stated that several Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) with a range of nearly 200 miles were delivered, paving the way for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his forces to put more Russian targets at risk.
One of the US officials revealed that the Biden administration intends to include more long-range ATACMS in an upcoming $1 billion package meant for Ukraine, which US President Joe Biden approved.
Russia ready to settle Ukraine war on battlefield if West wants so
Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared in a statement that if Western countries want to solve the Ukrainian conflict on the battlefield, Russia is ready for it.
During consultations at the parliament's upper house, "This is their [Western countries'] right if they want to [settle the conflict] on the battlefield, it will be on the battlefield," Lavrov said, adding that Moscow has repeatedly declared its preparedness for negotiations to resolve the Ukrainian crisis while taking into account the current reality.
This comes two days after Former Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland on Saturday told Politico that Ukraine lacks the necessary strength to engage in negotiations with Russia to resolve the ongoing armed conflict.
When questioned about whether it was a mistake not to encourage Kiev to pursue peace talks with Russia in 2022, she answered, "They were not in a strong enough position then. They’re not in a strong enough position now."
Read more: Russia warns of direct clash with West over Ukraine military support
