US wants Ukraine to win the war against Russia, asserts Pentagon's Press Secy John Kirby

As the Russia-Ukraine war has entered its 45th day, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby has stated that the United States wants Ukrainians to "win" the ongoing battle against Moscow. During a news conference on Friday, Kirby stated that Ukrainian lives had been lost and that the US want the violence to be stopped. The Press Secretary said, “We want Ukrainians to win this war, to see Ukraine not have to fight for its own sovereignty as it has been for eight years.” He further asserted that they “want to see Mr. Putin and the Russian army lose this invasion. Ukrainian lives are destroyed and obviously, we want to see that end."

Kirby went on to add that Ukrainian army might utilise US intelligence information to launch counter-offensives against Russia. He said, "When we say we want to help the Ukrainians defend themselves, we are talking about the aggregate effort here... We are trying to give them useful information and intelligence that allows them to defend themselves, to push back, to resist, to fight against...this Russian invasion”. 

Kirby speculates Russia-Ukraine war could extend longer

As the Russian forces have repositioned to concentrate on fighting in the east of Ukraine, Kirby had said that that the shift could extend the conflict longer than was earlier expected. According to the official, Russian President Vladimir Putin has relocated his soldiers in order to intesify the invasion in certain locations.

The remarks from Kirby came in response to a question from the media regarding the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, who had previously stated that the conflict in Ukraine may go on for years, as per media reports.  

Further, highlighting the missile strike on a Ukrainian railway station on Friday, Kirby said that this is a "piece of Russian brutality" in this battle. "We find unconvincing Russian claims that they weren't involved," said Kirby. Amid the ongoing war, a missile struck the railway station where thousands of Ukrainians had assembled, killing at least 50 people and injuring several others. Approximately 4,000 people were in and around the station at the time of the strike, according to the Prosecutor General's Office in Ukraine.

(Image: AP)