By Dmitry Antonov
MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin on Monday directly blamed the United States for a Ukrainian attack on Crimea with U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles that killed at least four people, including two children, and injured 151 others, saying there would be consequences.
Russian officials are warning that the war in Ukraine is entering its most dangerous phase to date and for the president Vladimir Putin It has repeatedly warned of the danger of a wider war involving the world's largest nuclear powers.
But directly blaming the United States for the deadly attack on Crimea — which Russia annexed in 2014 and now considers Russian territory, though most of the world considers part of Ukraine — is a step too far.
« We understand very well who is behind this, » a Kremlin spokesman said Dmitry Peskov He told reporters that it is clear who supplied such weapons, targeting them and providing data on them.
« Everything is absolutely clear here. As representatives of the media, you should ask my colleagues in Europe, and above all the press secretaries in Washington, why their governments are killing Russian children. Ask them this question. »
The Russian Defense Ministry said on Sunday that the United States was responsible for the attack on the city of Sevastopol. Russian state television showed people running from the beach and some being carried away on sun loungers.
Asked what Russia's response would be, Peskov recalled Putin's words on June 6, when the Kremlin leader said the United States and its European allies could deploy conventional missiles within striking distance of Ukraine if they allowed long-range Western strikes deep into Russia. Weapons.
« Of course, the involvement of the United States in the conflict, as a result of which peaceful Russians are dying, but cannot have consequences, » Peskov said.
« Which exactly – time will tell »
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Olszs Aizov; Editing by Guy Falconbridge)
