Published 10:06 IST, May 4th 2023

Russia warns Kyiv, West of consequences in wake of counteroffensive

Kyiv and its western sponsors will inevitably face the sad consequences of the planned counteroffensive, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin warned.

Reported by: Digital Desk
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Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin issued a warning that Kyiv and its Western supporters will face dire consequences for the planned counteroffensive, while assuring that the Russian Armed Forces are fully prepared for any possible scenario.

“Reckless and absolutely irresponsible pumping Kyiv with modern Western weapons and encouraging its ideas of a counteroffensive will only lead to bloodshed and further escalation of the conflict. I would like to warn the Kyiv regime and its Western sponsors about the inevitable sad consequences of what they are up to,” he said in an interview. newspaper "Izvestiya".

The deputy minister asserted that the Russian military is well-prepared for any possible scenario, stating that "neither Kyiv nor the West will receive any dividends from this".

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal had initially stated in early April that a counteroffensive could commence in the summer, but later revised the timeline to "soon". According to reports from American media, the counteroffensive was reportedly scheduled for April 30.

According to experts interviewed by RIA Novosti, the conflicting statements made by Kyiv and Washington could not be trusted and may be part of a disinformation campaign.

Ukraine denies Moscow's claim Kyiv sent drones to Kremlin to assassinate Putin

Russia has claimed that it stopped a drone attack by Ukraine on the Kremlin on Wednesday, stating that it was an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate President Vladimir Putin and promising to retaliate against what it called a "terrorist" act. However, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy denied any involvement, stating: "We don't attack Putin or Moscow".

Russian authorities claimed that an attempted drone attack on the Kremlin by Ukrainian forces was foiled early Wednesday, but there was no independent verification of the incident. President Putin was not present in the Kremlin at the time of the alleged attack and was instead at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence near Moscow.

The Russian authorities presented no evidence to support their claims, and questions have been raised about the delay in reporting the incident and the subsequent emergence of videos of the event.

A video that emerged on a local Moscow news Telegram channel overnight appeared to show smoke rising over buildings across the river from the Kremlin. However, it was not possible to confirm the veracity of the video. The footage was accompanied by text stating that residents of a nearby apartment building reported hearing loud noises and seeing smoke around 2:30 a.m.

Updated 10:06 IST, May 4th 2023