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Military operation in Ukraine

NATO neck deep in Ukraine conflict precisely due to weapons pipeline — Russian diplomat

"It is NATO that has pushed the Kiev regime this far," Maria Zakharova noted

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Vladimir Smirnov/TASS

MOSCOW, July 11. /TASS/. NATO is deeply involved in the conflict in Ukraine through the bloc’s provision of weapons, mercenaries, funds and intelligence to Ukraine, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in an interview with Qatar’s Al Jazeera television.

"Do you really think that NATO is not at war with Russia? In fact, it’s NATO that provides all of the weapons, fighters, mercenaries, instructors, advisors and intelligence data to the Kiev regime. NATO is definitely involved in these military activities; there is no doubt about it. It is NATO that has pushed the Kiev regime this far," she noted.

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation based on a request from the heads of the Donbass republics amid escalating tensions in the region, with the authorities in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) reporting some of the heaviest Ukrainian shelling up to that time. In response, the West imposed major sanctions on Russia. In addition, Western countries started to provide weapons and military equipment to Kiev, the aggregate value of which is currently estimated in the billions of dollars. However, the Kiev authorities have repeatedly demanded that Ukrainian forces be provided with yet more weapons and more advanced equipment, long-range missiles and aircraft.

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Foreign policy Ukraine NATO Maria Zakharova Military operation in Ukraine

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