KIEV, February 1. /TASS/. By fuelling tensions around Ukraine, the West compels Kiev to take loans and buy weaponry abroad at bloated prices, a lawmaker of Ukraine’s Opposition Platform - For Life party told the First Independent TV channel.

"Who profits from tensions? I’m absolutely sure that, in the first place, the situation is beneficial for the countries that are fuelling them. And I would like to stress that no one is making presents to us. They make us buy those weapons, hastily and at a triple price. No one ever disclosed how much we pay for that. They are forcing us [to sign] contracts, and we are taking loans to finance them. There is no investment. The money that we spend on loans could have been invested into our workers, our plants, our engineers. But we <…> are feeding others instead," he said.

Western arms supplies to Ukraine intensified in early January, amid claims of an imminent Russian invasion. The United Kingdom supplied anti-tank weapons to Kiev. On January 22, Kiev received over 90 tonnes of lethal weapons from the United States, followed by another shipment on January 23, totaling 80 tonnes. On January 25, another 80-tonne delivery of US-made Javelin anti-tank missile systems took place. Besides, defense ministers of Baltic states were authorized to supply Ukraine with US-made weaponry, including Javelin, Stinger man-portable air defense systems and other types of military equipment. According to Ukrainian media reports, the country received 700 Javelin missiles and 2,200 NLAW light anti-tank weapons lately.

The West and Kiev have recently been echoing allegations about Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these claims as "empty and unfounded", serving as a ploy to escalate tensions, pointing out that Russia did not pose any threat whatsoever to anyone. However, Peskov did not rule out the possibility of provocations aimed at justifying such claims and warned that attempts to use military force to resolve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine would have serious consequences.