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Updated June 1st, 2022 at 18:32 IST

Russia 'does not trust' Ukraine not firing US sent MLRS into its territories

Washington's recent move would be viewed “extremely negatively” and could be “dangerous,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Moscow reporters.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
Kremlin
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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Russia on Wednesday, June 1, responded to US President Joe Biden's announcement that he was sending advanced long range rocket systems including the HIMARS to Ukraine. Washington's recent move would be viewed “extremely negatively” and could be “dangerous,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told state media.

Russia also started nuclear drills with Yars, an intercontinental ballistic missile, and about 1,000 military soldiers in the northeast of Moscow. "In Ivanovo region, autonomous launchers of the Yars mobile ground-based missile system manned by the Teikovsky group of the Strategic Missile Forces are carrying out intensive maneuvering on combat patrol routes as part of the exercises," a statement from Russia's Ministry of Defence read. 

"Strategic missiles are working on deploying missile systems in field positions, moving up to 100 km, dispersing units with changing field positions, the latter’s engineering fortification, camouflaging, and combat protection," Moscow's MoD further informed. 

US is escalating the risk of a direct confrontation, warned Kremlin on June 1, registering strong objection to the flow of the advanced weapons by the former and its allies. 

Ukrainian leader earlier today addressed the United States President Joe Biden's concerns that Ukraine's military may launch the longer-range weapons into Russia, saying that his forces will merely defend their territory and not attack Russia. "We're not interested in what's happening in Russia," he said. "We're only interested in our own territory in Ukraine," Zelenskyy clarified

United States 'adding fuel to the fire': Peskov 

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov meanwhile accused the United States of adding fuel to the fire, saying that Russia does not trust that Kyiv will not to fire the weapons into Russia.  "We believe that the US is deliberately pouring oil on the fire. The US is obviously holding the line that it will fight Russia to the last Ukrainian," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. Biden decision to supply medium-range advanced rocket systems to Ukraine comes as Russian troops captured  most of the Ukrainian city of Severodonetsk in the Luhansk oblast. 

Weaponry being sent by Washington will enable Ukraine “to more precisely strike key targets on the battlefield," the US President Joe Biden told reporters in White House as he approved the eleventh aid package for Kyiv. He emphasized that Washington will continue to strengthen support to Ukraine's military forces, and will help its efforts to achieve a negotiated end to the conflict. Biden also stated that the United States or its allies will not be directly engaged in this conflict for as long as they are not attacked by Russia. 

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Published June 1st, 2022 at 18:32 IST

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