Western Sanctions Doomed to Failure as Russian Exports Growing, Ambassador to US Antonov Says

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The sanctions policy of the West is doomed to failure since Russia's export earnings are growing, and the situation ordinary people in the West find themselves in is deteriorating, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said on Wednesday.

"The thoughtless and completely illiterate sanctions policy, the open sanctions-information war of the collective West against our country is doomed to failure. Russia is strengthening its independence. The income from energy exports is constantly growing. The situation which ordinary citizens in Western countries have been facing is rapidly deteriorating," he said.

US energy giants are benefiting from the current energy crisis as they make revenues they could only dream of, the ambassador said.

Antonov also said Russia believes that "curators of Kiev" will not agree to a peaceful settlement.

"American arms manufacturers have always been getting rich in wars. This is happening even now, when millions of shells and a huge amount of weapons made in the US are sent to Ukraine. That is why the peaceful scenario cannot suit Kiev's curators, who are hungry for power and money. They will not stop pushing Ukraine into further suicidal adventures, such as the initially doomed offensives," he said.

According to Antonov, the US has been turning Ukraine into a test range to dispose of old weapons and test new arms in an effort to counter Russia. He stressed that the US will be dragged into a military confrontation with Russia if Kiev receives longer-range missiles and carries out strikes on Russian territory.

"Of particular concern is the fact that for many months Ukraine has been soliciting the supply of ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, which are designed to strike targets at a distance of up to 300 km [187 miles]. If Kiev obtains such weapons, large Russian cities, as well as industrial and transport infrastructure facilities will fall into the area of possible destruction," Antonov said. "Such a scenario would mean direct involvement of the United States in a military confrontation with Russia."

The United States' claims of its non-involvement in the Ukraine conflict are untenable, especially after the "bravado" of the Biden administration and the top brass about their role in planning Ukraine's counteroffensive, the Russian ambassador to the United States emphasized.

Antonov noted that Russia is "deeply concerned" by "the open bravado of the US administration," including generals, who claim that Ukraine's "battlefield" gains were achieved thanks to the direct role of the Pentagon in planning Ukraine's strategy.

"Given this, Washington's statements that the United States stands aside and is not a party to the conflict sound absolutely ridiculous and unfounded," Antonov said. "Facts, interviews of former and current politicians and generals say the opposite. To date, everything has been done to turn the country into a testing ground for the disposal of obsolete weapons and testing of new NATO military equipment to counter Russian weapons."

The ambassador added that videos circulated by Western TV channels clearly show that soldiers and officers fighting Russia in Ukraine speak English fluently and many have British and American accents.

Sputnik: What will happen if Washington satisfies Kiev's request for the supply of new weapons, including heavy armored vehicles, new batches of shells for HIMARS systems, operational-tactical missiles, and this time even fighter jets?

Anatoly Antonov: We see how the American printed and electronic media vie with each other to report on the new package of military assistance requested by Kiev. In addition to the ones you listed, we are talking about dozens of types of weapons: strike UAVs, Harpoon anti-submarine missiles, etc.

The fact that for many months Ukraine has been soliciting the supply of ATACMS operational-tactical missiles, which are designed to strike targets at a distance of up to 300 km, is of particular concern.

If Kiev receives such weapons, large Russian cities, as well as industrial and transport infrastructure facilities, will fall into the area of ​​​​possible destruction. The Armed Forces of Ukraine constantly violate the norms of humanitarian law, even in those territories that were considered part of Ukraine. Donbass localities are being shelled; peaceful, innocent people are dying. Look how many swastikas and Nazi symbols are on Ukrainian military equipment. If this happens in relation to the DPR and LPR, then obviously, if these warriors have long-range American missiles, they will use them without hesitation against our country.

Such a scenario would mean direct involvement of the United States in a military confrontation with Russia.

Sputnik: Will the American side satisfy Kiev's request for new deliveries of missile systems? Will the moral, material, and military support of the Zelensky regime by Washington continue?

Anatoly Antonov: The current situation of Washington inciting Kiev against us is an indisputable, obvious fact. If all the insane requests are satisfied, then this will not lead to real changes on the fronts anyway. Only naive, short-sighted politicians, who know history poorly, can talk about victory over Russia on the battlefield.

I would like to draw attention to the fact that we are no longer talking about defensive, but about offensive weapons, and this is not a characteristic that was invented in Moscow, but a UN definition. Fighters, long-range missile systems, tanks have never been classified as defensive weapons.

The United States is increasingly drawn into the abyss of the Ukrainian crisis, and, as we see, it is doing it consciously with the constant instigation of partners in the Alliance.

Pay attention, there is no talk about the need to start negotiations today. And if they do sound, then either in a whisper, or through clenched teeth, and more often quite the opposite: "more weapons, hit harder on the allied forces." Allegedly, the current situation provides Ukraine with the best negotiating position, regardless of what their price is. The main goal is to defeat Russia by any means, and subsequently to prevent it from playing a key role in the international arena, and if possible, break it into pieces.

Sputnik: What to do in such conditions, what should we focus on now?

Anatoly Antonov: The answer is simple - continue to work, and support the army and navy in fulfilling the tasks set by our Supreme Commander-in-Chief. We have no doubt that we will achieve victory.

As for diplomats, especially those working abroad, we, despite threats and provocations, will continue purposeful activities to implement the foreign policy of our Motherland. The task is to achieve cementing the foundations of a multipolar world order, throwing the American “rules-based order” into the dustbin of history.