Nulands Statement On Crimea Shows Washingtons Involvement In Conflict - Russian Embassy

US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland's statement that the United States supports Ukraine targeting massive Russian military installations in Crimea shows Washington's direct involvement in the Ukraine conflict, Igor Girenko, the press secretary of Russia's embassy to the US, said on Thursday.

Earlier on Thursday, Nuland, during a virtual discussion with the Carnegie Endowment, called Russia's military installations in Crimea "legitimate targets" for Ukraine and added that Washington supports Kiev targeting the Russian military hubs in the peninsula, saying that "Ukraine is not going to be safe unless Crimea is at a minimum demilitarized."

"The statements by a senior State Department official on February 16 about supporting the Ukrainian Armed Forces in carrying out strikes on Crimea are a clear confirmation of Russia's position that the United States is directly involved in the conflict. The official admitted that the administration is fueling the ambitions of the Kiev regime to attack our country," Girenko said on the embassy's Telegram.

He recalled that Washington is "is actively supplying Kiev with modern systems that are used to fire on Russian regions" and "advising Ukrainian military leaders," and cited local experts as saying that Kiev and Washington de facto "plan operations together."

"Inciting Kiev criminals to attack Crimea is the same as pushing them to attack Moscow or Vladivostok. We regard this position of Washington as an undisguised manifestation of the bellicose attitude of the United States towards our country," the diplomat said.

Girenko noted that "it should finally become obvious to the entire international community that the United States is the actual instigator of confrontation in Ukraine," adding that "Washington's attempts to use the Ukrainians to inflict a strategic defeat on us are doomed" and reiterating that Russia will protect its citizens and territory.