The Kremlin sees “direct involvement” from the West in Russia’s war on Ukraine after the United States and Germany agreed to send battle tanks to Kyiv, according to state-run media.
“There have been repeated statements from the European capitals and from Washington that the sending of various weapons systems, including tanks, to Ukraine by no means signifies the involvement of these countries or the [NATO] Alliance in the hostilities in Ukraine. We strongly disagree with this,” Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, said in the state-owned outlet Tass.
“Moscow perceives everything that both the alliance and the capitals I mentioned have been doing as direct involvement in the conflict. We see that it is growing,” Peskov said.
President Biden and Germany on Wednesday announced plans to send 45 total heavy combat vehicles to Kyiv as Ukraine attempts to strengthen its defense against continued Russian strikes.
The U.S. plans to send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, and Germany, the maker of the Leopard 2 battle tank, said it would send 14 of the machines and approve other countries’ requests to do the same.
Biden said that the move to equip Ukraine with tanks is “not an offensive threat” to Russia and underscored the U.S. desire for a peaceful end to the conflict, now approaching its one-year mark.
Russia battered Ukraine with an onslaught of attacks early Thursday that killed at least 11 and injured others after news of the U.S. and German plans broke.