Moscow will not tolerate any provocation in Donbass & attack on nation: Russian delegation

Moscow will not allow any provocations in the Donbass region from the Ukrainian government or the West, said Konstantin Gavrilov, the leader of the Russian delegation in Geneva, in an interview with the YouTube channel 'Izolenta live'. Gavrilov emphasised that Russia sent a "loud and clear" warning across all news outlets. He added that by continuing to accuse Russia of planning an invasion of Ukraine, the West and Kyiv are attempting to establish an informational cover-up for these provocations.

Moreover, he warned that Kremlin will not accept any attacks on Russian residents living in the region. On December 21, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that Russia was aware of at least 120 American private military contractors (PMCs) in Ukraine, who were transporting unspecified chemical components to the cities of Avdeevka and Krasny Liman. The buffer zone separating the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics is not far from these two cities. This, according to Shoigu, was done in order to provoke the Donbass region.

Shoigu's claims were called absolutely incorrect by the US Department of Defence. However, the Pentagon spokesman did not go into detail about which aspects of Shoigu's claims were inaccurate and how the Pentagon knew. Gavrilov's warnings to Kyiv and the West about provocations in the Donbass region come as tensions in the region remain high. Western countries have accused Russia of amassing soldiers near Ukraine's border, raising fears that Moscow is contemplating an invasion.

The Russia-Ukraine conflict

The Kremlin vehemently disputed the charges and slammed the criticism, claiming that Russia has the sovereign right to send its armed forces wherever it wants within its borders. Russian diplomats met with their counterparts from the US and NATO earlier this month to discuss ways to de-escalate tensions and restore strategic stability. Moscow sent its recommendations, which included a mutual reluctance to deploy certain armaments near each other's borders as well as a demand that NATO not expand eastward.

Although NATO rejected the majority of the recommendations, the US still praised the January discussions, describing them as the start of a dialogue. Washington committed to respond to Russia in writing and make its own ideas. Simultaneously, the West has maintained its rhetoric accusing Russia of plotting an invasion of Ukraine. The US created a list of alternatives for responding to such an offensive, including varying degrees of penalties on Russia.

(With inputs from agencies)

Image: ANI