Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev today accused NATO of directly participating in the conflict in Ukraine by providing the country with arms and information with the aim of defeating Russia on the battlefield.
“In fact, NATO countries are part of the conflict. They turned Ukraine into a huge military camp. They send weapons and ammunition to Ukrainian troops, they provide information, including from satellites and drones,” the Secretary of the Security Council told the Russian newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta.
Pátrushev added that NATO is preparing the Ukrainian military, also noting that on the front line “are mercenaries from countries that fight alongside the Armed Forces” of Ukraine.
“By trying to prolong this warlike confrontation as much as possible, they do not hide their main objective, which is to defeat Russia on the battlefield and then disintegrate it,” he added.
The military offensive launched on February 24, 2022 by Russia in Ukraine has so far caused the flight of more than 14.6 million people – 6.5 million internally displaced and more than 8.1 million to European countries -, according to with the latest data from the UN, which classifies this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since the Second World War (1939-1945).
At the moment, at least 18 million Ukrainians are in need of humanitarian aid and 9.3 million are in need of food aid and shelter.
The Russian invasion – justified by the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security – was condemned by the international community in general, which has responded by sending arms to Ukraine and imposing it on Russia of political and economic sanctions.
Since the beginning of the war, more than 8,300 civilians have died, according to UN data, which warns that the numbers are far below the real ones.
