US cultivates 'Russophobia' among likeminded states, flooding Ukraine with weapons: Russia

The United States has "flooded" Ukraine with weapons from North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and "countless" advisers from the West, Russian permanent representative to the UN said in a statement on Wednesday. The envoy also accused the US of "cultivating Russophobia" among like-minded countries. This comes a day after US State Department on Tuesday asked diplomats in Kyiv to draw up exit plans, citing escalation of tensions along the Ukraine-Russia borders.

"Talking about the accumulation of Russian troops is almost the root cause of all problems. (The US) is cultivating Russophobia among its citizens and like-minded states. The US also forgets to clarify the talk is about Russian forces on Russian territory," the Russian permanent mission to the UN said in its statement published on its website, as quoted by Sputnik.

"This is in contrast to the American and the North Atlantic Treaty organisation (NATO) veterinary and countless advisors that have flooded Ukraine and some other states close to Russian borders," the statement added.

Moscow accuses US of 'increasing tension in Black Sea region'

Russia also noted increased naval exercises by American Navy along with allies and partners in the Black Sea region. "There is also no explanation for what the American Navy, increasing tension in the Black Sea region, is doing near the Russian coast," the statement highlighted. Moscow went to slam the US for allegedly supporting militants in Syria's Idlib and "strengthen the position" of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terror outfit.

"Under the pretext of caring for the serials forcibly held in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib as a human shield, American diplomacy at the expense of its taxpayers, actually supports the militants. By strengthening the positions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Washington shooting itself in the foot, declaring his commitment to the territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic," Russia said.

US is 'dividing lines' outside the UN: Russia

The Russian diplomats also blamed Washington for "drawing dividing lines, organising duplicative and non-inclusive events outside UN system one of their main achievements in 2021." Notably, the statement came in response to a press release from US Permanent Representative to the UN, in which Linda Thomas-Greenfield claimed that Russia increased its troop concentration along Ukraine's eastern border from earlier reported 1,00,000 to 1,27,000. The release also said that Washington was able to restore American leadership in the UN in the first year of US President Joe Biden's term.

It is to mention that Russia-US relations have widened further after Moscow last October began amassing troops along the conflict-ridden Donbas region, sparking fears of imminent invasion threats. While Russia has maintained that it has "no intention" to attack the ex-Soviet nation, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov last week said that the situation is a part of exercises involving Russian military movement within its own territory, which "doesn't threaten anyone." In addition, Russia has also warned the West for its "alarmist" behaviour and informed it will "not sit idly" against "unfriendly steps."

(Image: AP)