WASHINGTON, July 22. /TASS/. After the death of RIA Novosti correspondent Rostislav Zhuravlev, Russia’s embassy in Washington has slammed as null the US assurances that the Ukrainian military would use cluster munitions selectively and carefully.
"American officials assured the world community that the Ukrainians would use these munitions ‘selectively and carefully.’ The nullity of these words is evident to everyone," the embassy wrote on its Telegram channel on Saturday.
"The use of cluster-type weapons by the Kiev regime against the civilian population confirms that Washington is losing control over its puppets," the embassy said.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that four Izvestia and RIA Novosti journalists suffered wounds on Saturday afternoon as a result of a Ukrainian cluster munitions strike on the Zaporozhye Region. RIA Novosti journalist Rostislav Zhuravlev died from his wounds during evacuation, the others journalists’ condition is stable. The TASS correspondent who is working in the Zaporozhye Region reported that a total of nine journalists were filming then. They split into two groups that were doing their job separately from each other. Five people were in the group with Zhuravlev. The journalists from the second group were unharmed.
The embassy recalled that Kiev receives cluster munitions from Washington.
"Ukrainian radicals use these shells to hit cities and villages of our country, destroying homes of civilians," the embassy said. "The Ukrainian armed forces are so desperate due to the catastrophic situation at the front that they resort to the most savage deeds. They wipe their feet on the pseudo-promises given to overseas puppeteers."
"The prolongation of the conflict and new casualties among civilians are on the conscience of the United States," the embassy stated.
The diplomats have no doubt that Zhuravlev "is a true hero of our time," who "fearlessly covered crimes of the Kiev Nazis and did a lot to let the world know the truth about the incredible evil that Russia is fighting during the special military operation.".