US slams Putin for 'depravity & cruelty' in Ukraine after Russian airstrikes in Kyiv

Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby on Friday lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin after Russian forces launched fatal airstrikes in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv during the visit of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Addressing a press briefing, Kirby stated "it is hard to look at what he is doing in Ukraine, what his forces are doing in Ukraine, and think that any ethical, moral individual could justify that." Kirby was also momentarily emotional while speaking about Putin's "depravity and cruelty" in Ukraine.

"It is difficult to look at some of the images and imaging that any well-thinking, serious, mature leader would do that. So, I can't talk like this psychologist but I think we can speak to his depravity," Kirby said when CNN asked if he thought Putin is "a rational actor."

Pressing on the characterisation, Kirby was also at the loss of words. Pounding on the podium for emphasis, Kirby said "it is hard to square his...BS that this is about Nazism in Ukraine and it's about protecting Russians in Ukraine and defending national interests when none of them were threatened by Ukraine."

He then listed some of the "unconscionable" actions carried out by invading forces in Ukraine. "Women, pregnant women being killed, hospitals being bombed," he said. After a brief 10 seconds pause, emotional Kirby apologized for what he believed was his injection of "personal believes" during the US assessment of Putin's mental state.

US & NATO 'not interested' in resolving Ukraine crisis

The US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) states are not interested in resolving the Ukraine conflict, instead just creating a pretext for war by sending more weapons to Kyiv, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Speaking with Xinhua News Agency, the top diplomats of the Russian Federation insisted that Moscow is in favour of continuing the negotiations but NATO countries are "doing everything to prevent" reaching political agreements. He further added that the Western nations are using Kyiv as a "tool to contain Russia" further "forcing" them to make "artificial, false choice."

Lavrov also reiterated the warning against sending weapons to Ukraine through Poland and to other NATO countries "in an endless stream." He said, "These are militant rhetoric and inflammatory actions of Kyiv’s Western backers. They actually encourage him to ‘fight to the last Ukrainian’, pumping up the country with weapons and sending mercenaries there. I note that the Ukrainian special services, with the help of Westerners, staged a crude bloody provocation in Bucha, including to complicate the negotiation process," the Guardian quoted citing the transcript received from Xinhua News Agency. He concluded by advising Kyiv to keep the interest of Ukrainian people at priority instead of listening to "advisors from afar."

(Image: AP)