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Western tank supplies will not turn situation in Kiev’s favor, Russian diplomat says

It was pointed out that it was London that had initiated the West’s "tank coalition," promising to send 14 Challenger 2 to Kiev in January

MOSCOW, January 27. /TASS/. Western tank supplies to Ukraine will not turn the situation in Kiev’s favor, but will take Western countries to a new level of confrontation with Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Friday.

"We would like to point out once again that any Western weapons provided to Ukraine are a legitimate target for the Russian Armed Forces. It’s just in case questions arise afterwards. Tank supplies certainly won’t turn the situation in the Kiev regime’s favor, but they are taking Western countries to a new level of confrontation with our country and our people," she noted at a briefing.

The diplomat pointed out that it was London that had initiated the West’s "tank coalition," promising to send 14 Challenger 2 to Kiev in January. The United States and Germany followed suit, announcing their tank supplies to Ukraine. "Berlin also said that it would give permission to NATO allies to re-export Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Isn’t [the bloc] a party to the conflict now? Please, form NATO’s single opinion on the matter," Zakharova added.

"I would like to emphasize that the armored vehicles that are being provided to Ukraine are designed for offensive operations," she went on to say. "The US administration makes no secret of the fact that the goal is, as they say, to facilitate the liberation of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea. But Crimea is not Ukrainian territory, it is and will remain Russian territory," the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stressed.

Zakharova also pointed to a statement by Ukrainian presidential advisor Mikhail Podolyak who "announced plans to use NATO’s weapons to attack Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and other Russian cities." "This is another proof [of Kiev’s desire] to raise the stakes in the conflict, which will prolong it and lead to more casualties," the diplomat noted. "It’s no longer about Ukraine’s defense because Kiev and its NATO sponsors are ready to do anything to inflict as much damage as possible on our country," Zakharova concluded.

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