(NewsInsights.org) – It’s been more than two years since Russia invaded Ukraine in hopes of claiming the country’s land for itself. In that time, the West has helped the war-torn country fight off President Vladimir Putin’s military forces, providing billions of dollars in aid. Russia is now saying Ukraine launched a missile attack on Crimea and is blaming the United States for the fallout.
On Monday, June 24, Russia said it put the blame for the recent attack on land it unilaterally annexed back in 2014 on the US. Officials said it injured more than 100 people in Sevastopol and killed at least five, with two children rounding out the fatalities.
Russia went even further in its claims, saying that the United States was the one that aimed the missiles and provided data to Ukraine for the launch. A US official said that Ukraine — which “makes its own targeting decisions” — was not aiming at civilians but that Russia had tried to intercept an Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile, and it exploded, causing shrapnel to rain down on the beach, causing the injuries and death.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry sent a message to US Ambassador Lynne Tracy and warned her that the US is engaging in dangerous play, “waging a hybrid war” and going so far as to “actually becom[ing] a party to the conflict.” Then, it issued a chilling warning that “retaliatory measures will definitely follow.”
Tensions have continued to deteriorate between the West, particularly the US and Russia over the past few months. Russia views the US allowing Kyiv to use missiles to defend itself as an escalation, even though it doesn’t allow for attacking any recognized Russian territory.
It also doesn’t help matters that Russia signed a new defense treaty with North Korea, and Putin suggested his country might arm North Korea the way the West is arming Ukraine.
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