(Dan Tri) – Moscow warns that the US and the West are playing with fire by providing weapons to Ukraine to attack Russian territory.
M142 HIMARS system opens fire in Donetsk, Eastern Ukraine (Photo: Getty).
`On May 16 and 17, Kiev authorities launched another large-scale attack using drones and unmanned boats on Crimea, the Krasnodar region and other regions of Russia,` the spokesman said.
Ms. Zakharova’s statement was made after the Belbek air base in the port city of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula, an area annexed by Russia in 2014, was attacked continuously for 2 days.
`Once again, we want to clearly warn Washington, London, Brussels and other Western countries, as well as Kiev, which is under their control, that they are playing with fire. Russia will not let
Ms. Zakharova pointed out that, behind the attacks with Western weapons on Russian territory, the silhouette of the US and UK can be clearly seen when supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
`Not only did they provide him with longer-range missiles and heavy weapons, but they also authorized their use against Russia, thereby contributing to further escalation of the conflict,` the State Department spokesman said.
Satellite images show destroyed fighter jets and fuel depots at the Russian military base in Crimea on May 16 (Photo: Reuters/Maxar).
The US and its allies have poured a series of weapons and ammunition into Ukraine over the past two years and many countries have faced ammunition depletion.
Russia has repeatedly criticized the West for transferring weapons to Ukraine, and warned that NATO members have become direct participants in the conflict in Ukraine.
The situation escalated recently when Britain announced the lifting of restrictions on weapons it supplied to Ukraine.
This stance has faced harsh criticism from the Kremlin, saying this is a `direct escalation of tensions`.
During a visit to Washington on May 14, David Arakhamia, leader of the ruling Serve the People party in the Ukrainian parliament, said `the main problem today is White House policy that is limiting Kiev’s ability to attack.
Ukrainian lawmakers have planned to persuade the US Congress to change policy and lift the ban on using weapons provided by Washington to attack Russian territory.
Referring to the controversial issue of attacks on Russian territory, Secretary of State Blinken said: `We do not encourage or authorize attacks outside of Ukraine, but ultimately Ukraine will have to make its own decisions.`
