Russia’s Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev on Monday accused NATO of directly participating in the conflict in Ukraine by supplying the country with weapons and intelligence to defeat Russia on the battlefield.
“In fact, NATO countries are part of the conflict. They have turned Ukraine into a huge military camp. They send weapons and ammunition to Ukrainian troops, they provide information, including from satellites and drones,” the secretary of the Security Council told Russia’s Rossiiskaya Gazeta.
Pátrushev added that NATO is preparing the Ukrainian army, and also stressed that in the front line are “mercenaries from countries fighting alongside the armed forces” of Ukraine.
“In trying to prolong this warlike confrontation as much as possible, they do not hide their main goal, which is to defeat Russia on the battlefield and then disintegrate it,” he added.
The military offensive launched by Russia in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 has so far led to the flight of more than 14.6 million people – 6.5 million internally displaced persons and more than 8.1 million to European countries – according to the latest data from the UN, which classifies this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since World War II (1939-1945).
At the moment, at least 18 million Ukrainians need humanitarian aid and 9.3 million people need food aid and shelter.
The Russian invasion – justified by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russian security – was condemned by the international community at large, which responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and Russia political and economic sanctions.
More than 8,300 civilians have been killed since the start of the war, according to UN data, which warn that the numbers are well below the real ones.
Source: DN
