Kremlin Spokesman Describes NATO, US as Indirect Party to Ukraine Conflict

Dmitry Peskov also dismissed claims that the Russian authorities’ statements about NATO’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict could encourage the bloc to increase support for Kiev

Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov Sergei Bobylev/TASS

© Sergei Bobylev/TASS

MOSCOW, January 10. /TASS/. NATO and the US have de facto become an indirect party to the conflict in Ukraine, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.

"Of course, NATO and the US are indirectly involved in the conflict,"he said.

"They have de facto become an indirect party to the conflict by flooding Ukraine with weapons, technologies and intelligence. So their involvement in the conflict is clear," Peskov added.

The Kremlin spokesman also dismissed claims that the Russian authorities’ statements about NATO’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict could encourage the bloc to increase support for Kiev.

When commenting on Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev’s remark that Ukrainian developments pointed to a military confrontation between NATO and Russia rather than a clash between Moscow and Kiev, Peskov said: "Patrushev described the actual situation."

"Hardly anything can push NATO and the US to ramp up supplies. We can see that the build-up in supplies is growing daily, expanding to include more complicated and powerful weapons, while the amount and range of weapons and ammunition are also increasing,"Peskov went on to say. "The training of Ukrainian troops is being intensified, and we have been taking note of all these aspects. All this is nothing but evidence of those countries’ indirect involvement in the conflict. It’s not an assumption, it is a statement of fact that’s impossible to argue with," he noted.

Russian forces destroy two US-made counter-battery radars in Ukraine operation — top brass

It is reported that Russian air defense forces destroyed ten Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day

MOSCOW, January 10. /TASS/. Russian forces destroyed two US-made counter-battery radar stations in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Tuesday.

"In addition, two US-made AN/TPQ-50 and AN/TPQ-36 counter-battery radar stations were destroyed in the counter-battery warfare in areas near the communities of Artyomovsk and Dzerzhinsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces also destroyed three D-20 towed howitzers near the communities of Nevskoye and Novolyubovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic and Shalygino in the Sumy Region. In addition, they obliterated two Grad multiple launch rocket systems in the communities of Artyomovsk and Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, and also an Uragan rocket launcher in the town of Seversk, the general specified.

Russian forces delivered strikes against amassed manpower of the Ukrainian army’s 14th mechanized brigade in the Kharkov Region, eliminating about 20 militants over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk area, Russian forces delivered artillery strikes against amassed manpower of the Ukrainian army’s 14th mechanized brigade in areas near the communities of Timkovka and Ivanovka in the Kharkov Region. They destroyed as many as 20 Ukrainian troops, an armored combat vehicle and four motor vehicles," the spokesman said.

The Ukrainian military lost over 40 personnel of its 95th air assault and 103rd territorial defense brigades in the Krasny Liman area as a result of damage inflicted by Russian artillery, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Krasny Liman area, artillery fire inflicted damage on units of the Ukrainian army’s 95th air assault brigade and 103rd territorial defense brigade near the communities of Serebryanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Stelmakhovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The enemy lost over 40 servicemen killed and wounded, an armored personnel carrier and three pickup trucks in that area in the past 24 hours, the general specified.

Russian forces eliminated roughly 50 Ukrainian troops in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk area, Russian forces inflicted damage on units of the Ukrainian army’s 57th and 59th motorized infantry brigades during their successful offensive operations. They destroyed as many as 50 Ukrainian troops, one tank, two armored fighting vehicles and four motor vehicles," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed over 20 Ukrainian troops and three pickup trucks in the southern Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the southern Donetsk area, over 20 Ukrainian military personnel and three pickup trucks were destroyed in areas near the settlements of Prechistovka and Zolotaya Niva in the Donetsk People’s Republic as a result of damage inflicted on the enemy units by combined firepower," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed two Ukrainian arms depots in the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Zaporozhye Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Operational-tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery struck two missile/artillery armament depots of the Ukrainian army’s 53rd mechanized brigade and 108th territorial defense brigade in the area of the community of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and the town of Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region, and also 62 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and military hardware in 105 areas," the spokesman said.

Russian fighter aircraft shot down three Ukrainian Su-25 ground attack planes in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces shot down three Ukrainian Air Force Su-25 planes in areas near the communities of Yasenovoye, Pushkino and Maksimilyanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces destroyed four Polish-made Krab self-propelled howitzers in the Donetsk People’s Republic over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"Four Krab self-propelled artillery systems of Polish manufacture were destroyed near the communities of Avdeyevka, Seversk and Zvanovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

In addition, Russian troops obliterated two US-made M777 howitzers in areas near the settlements of Seversk and Avdeyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the general added.

Russian air defense forces destroyed ten Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the past 24 hours, air defense capabilities destroyed ten Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the communities of Ploshchanka, Oborotnovka, Podkuichansk, Chervonopopovka, Golikovo, Zhitlovka and Kremennaya in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Valeryanovka, Volnovakha and Yevgenovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

In all, Russian troops have destroyed 370 Ukrainian warplanes, 200 helicopters, 2,866 unmanned aerial vehicles, 400 surface-to-air missile systems, 7,465 tanks and other armored fighting vehicles, 975 multiple rocket launchers, 3,802 field artillery guns and mortars and 7,992 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

Medvedev announces setting up working group on armament production control

The Military Industrial Commission First deputy head said he hoped that the new structure "will help implement mapped out plans and measures of control more effectively, optimize the control system as a whole and improve coordination of the efforts of government agencies and organizations"

MOSCOW, January 10. /TASS/. Russia’s Military Industrial Commission has set up a working group on armament production control, Security Council Deputy Chairman, Military Industrial Commission First Deputy Head Dmitry Medvedev announced on Tuesday.

‘Within the scope of the powers now vested in me, I have signed a resolution on setting up the Commission’s working group on control of the production of needed armaments, military and special equipment, weapons, combat gear and outfits," Medvedev said.

The politician held a meeting of this working group on Tuesday.

Medvedev said he hoped that the new structure "will help implement mapped out plans and measures of control more effectively, optimize the control system as a whole and improve coordination of the efforts of government agencies and organizations."

"Each one who deals with this must maximally focus on fulfilling the defense procurement plan," the Security Council deputy head stressed.

In addition, Medvedev visited the 61st armor repair plant in St. Petersburg, about which he reported on his Telegram channel.

In December 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin instituted the post of his first deputy chairman in the Military Industrial Commission that he heads. This post was assigned to Medvedev. The Commission also includes Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev, the heads of the Foreign Intelligence and Federal Security Services and the Russian National Guard and other members.

Training of Ukrainians to use Patriots confirms US role in conflict — diplomat

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov added that more and more US experts are beginning to share Russia’s concerns about the danger of such policy

WASHINGTON, January 11. /TASS/. The Pentagon’s decision to train Ukrainian servicemen to use and service Patriot missile defense systems at the US Army base in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, is yet another proof of Washington’s involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said, answering to a reporter’s question.

"The Department of Defense’s decision to organize a training course on the basis of Fort Sill in the state of Oklahoma is just another proof of Washington’s de-facto involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, on the side of [neo-]Nazi criminals from Kiev," the Russian diplomatic mission’s press service quoted him as saying.

Antonov added that more and more US experts are beginning to share Russia’s concerns about the danger of such policy.

In his words, some US pundits have already admitted that the US aid "is no longer limited to boosting Kiev’s defense potential," as the US administration is "delivering more and more weapons to Kiev in order to enhance its offensive capabilities."

In Antonov’s opinion, this clearly illustrates that the "true goal of the [US] administration is to use Ukraine to inflict as much damage to Russia on the battlefield as possible."