Nuland's Statement on Crimea Shows Washington's Involvement in Conflict, Russian Embassy Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - 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.

"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," Girenko said on the embassy's Telegram.

"The official admitted that the administration is fueling the ambitions of the Kiev regime to attack our country."

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.

Earlier Thursday, Nuland 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 Unites States considers it important to provide Kiev with the military "of the future," which would be able to deter Russia after its special military operation in Ukraine is finished, Nuland added.

"Even if there is a just peace, there has to be a long-term plan and a building of the Ukrainian military of the future, so that they can be deterring of any future appetite [Russian President Vladimir] Putin might have," Nuland said at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank.

The official also said that Washington should help Kiev by building "a long-term integrated air defense, a long-term high-end border security force" and an ability to patrol the national maritime borders.

She said that the conflict might end because of either Kiev or Moscow's exhaustion or a diplomatic settlement, adding that the US wanted to see Putin's strategic defeat.

Nuland made the remarks during a virtual discussion with the Carnegie Endowment, and added that she would give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the Nobel Prize if he used his influence to help put an end to ongoing special military operation.

“If Bibi Netanyahu can get Putin out of Ukraine, I'm going to give him the Nobel Prize,” Nuland said in response to comments made by the Israeli official about providing additional military aid to Ukrainian forces.

Soon after the interview, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov confirmed that Israel vowed to provide Kiev with alert technology for such aerial threats as missiles and drones.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said in mid-October that Israel could no longer supply military hardware to Ukraine due to "operational reasons." At the same time, he promised that Israel would help Ukrainians develop an air raid warning system and would provide relief aid.

Western countries have increased their military support for Ukraine after Russia launched a military operation there on February 24, 2022. In April, Moscow sent a note to NATO member states condemning their military assistance to Kiev.

The Kremlin has repeatedly emphasized that President Putin has always been and continues to remain open to negotiations on Ukraine, as is evident from his attempts to initiate dialogue with the US, NATO and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe even before the start of hostilities. Moscow has said it agrees with US statements that the resolution of the Ukraine crisis must be based on a fair and long-term peace, but at the same time, it sees no prospects for negotiations yet.