Russia accuses the West of being behind the planning of Ukraine's counteroffensive
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the West of being behind the planning for Ukraine's forthcoming counteroffensive.
"The West openly states that it will do everything possible to make the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian armed forces, which is planned for the near future, a success," Zakharova told reporters Thursday.
"That is to say, as you can imagine, they do not even hide that they are behind all this military planning, not only tactical guidance, which we have repeatedly talked about, but also the ongoing disposition [of forces] according to their strategic plan," she added,
Russian state news agency
TASS reported in comments translated by Google.
It's unclear when or where Ukraine's counteroffensive will start exactly but retaking territory in the east and south, where Russian forces partially occupy several regions, is their key goal.
Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova
Valery Sharifulin | TASS | Getty Images
Zakharova also claimed that representatives of Western countries had been demanding that the Russian side suffer the maximum possible losses, "once again are loudly confirming their direct involvement in the conflict."
Ukraine's Western allies in NATO have repeatedly warned that Russia must not be able to win in its armed aggression against Ukraine, fearing that it could embolden Moscow to go further and try to retake other former Soviet states. Still, NATO has said it does not want a direct confrontation with Russia.
NATO's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has frequently described the war as "the most dangerous situation in Europe since World War Two."
— Holly Ellyatt
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Supa-pawa feels insecure.....vilio na malalamiko vimeanza.
SMO imepoteza mwelekeo.