West Encouraging Kiev To Attack Russia With NATO-Supplied Weapons, Says Diplomat

MOSCOW, April 28. /TASS/. Western countries are openly calling on Ukraine to attack Russian territory using the weapons they supply to Kiev, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday.

“We have already commented the other day on statements by British Deputy Defense Minister [James] Heappey about okaying Ukraine’s strikes on Russian military targets,” she said, “In other words, the West is openly calling on Kiev to attack Russia, even with weapons received from NATO countries.”

According to Zakharova, Kiev has taken this as a guide to action: over the past few weeks, the Ukrainian armed forces have shelled Russian border territories, resulting in casualties and destruction.

“Further evidence that [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelensky’s regime is not independent in its decisions and is completely dependent on external handlers,” a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out.

She also stressed that such criminal activity of the Ukrainian military against the Russian territory cannot go unanswered. “I would like Kiev and Western capitals to take seriously the statements of our country’s Defense Ministry that further Ukrainian provocations to strike Russian targets will definitely lead to a harsh response from Russia,” Zakharova pointed out.