Russia slams Germany’s decision to send missiles, armored vehicles to Ukraine

The Russian embassy in Berlin has condemned the German government’s move to send armored vehicles and a Patriot missile system to Ukraine to fight Russian troops.

In a statement on Friday, the embassy said: “We strongly condemn this decision and see it as another step toward escalating the conflict in Ukraine. Its adoption looks especially cynical on the eve of the Orthodox Christmas holiday, which is highly revered in the Christian world, and also against the backdrop of ceasefire unilaterally announced by the Russian President in this regard.”

The development came on the heels of an agreement between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and US President Joe Biden to send a new batch of weapons, including 50 American Bradley Armored Infantry vehicles and 40 German Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles,  as well as a Patriot system, in addition to holding training courses for the Ukrainian troops to teach them how to use the equipment.

The Russian embassy noted in its statement that the expediency in preparation and shipment of new weapons to Ukraine “leaves no doubt that Berlin did it under serious pressure from Washington, acting in accordance with the destructive logic of transatlantic solidarity.”

US and allies to send armored vehicles to Ukraine for its war with Russia

The United States and its allies have decided to supply armored military vehicles to Ukraine for its war with Russia.

The statement also warned that Berlin’s decision to provide heavy weapons to the Kiev forces to fight the Russians will have “the most negative impact on Russian-German relations.” 

Providing Kiev forces with lethal weapons that are then being used not only against Russian servicemen but also against civilians in Donbas is a “moral line that the German authorities should not have crossed, given this country’s historic responsibility before our nation,” the embassy said.

The decision to send Ukraine more heavy weapons also shows that Western countries are not interested in finding a peaceful solution to the conflict, the embassy pointed out.

“Through their (Western countries’) efforts, Ukraine has actually been turned into a firing range and the Ukrainian people into a tool to achieve the West’s geopolitical interests, which in the end lead only to the prolongation of hostilities, pointless casualties and destruction,” it added.

Zelensky thanks Scholz for weapons shipment

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his gratitude to the German chancellor for the new shipment of weapons.

“I thanked [Scholz] for the powerful defense package, including several dozen Marder vehicles and the Patriot system. We discussed further cooperation to strengthen the Ukrainian army,” Zelensky tweeted on Friday, after a phone conversation with Scholz.

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Since Russia launched its “special military operation” in Ukraine in late February 24, Western countries have been flooding Ukraine with weapons and ammunition at a rate unprecedented since World War II.

The Kremlin has been repeatedly warning the West against fanning the flames of war by continuing the supply of arms to Kiev.

The flooding of Ukraine with weapons “will only drag the conflict out and make it more painful for the Ukrainian side, but it will not change our goals and the end result,” the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said last year.

Peskov insisted that the US was in reality engaged in the Ukraine conflict. “The US de facto has become deeply involved.”

The Kremlin spokesman’s remarks echoed those of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who also believed that the US is involved in the war.

Washington has “been participating de facto in this war for a long time,” said Lavrov, adding, “This war is being controlled by the Anglo-Saxons.”

Lavrov has also warned the arms suppliers that the shipments of weapons to Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Russian forces.

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