Kirby: US is not pushing Ukraine to conduct operations in Russia

The United States is not pushing Ukraine to conduct operations on Russian territory, as this would be bad for both the Ukrainian people and the Russian people, declared John Kirby, Strategic Communications Coordinator at the White House National Security Council, in an interview with ABC.

“We are definitely not pushing (Ukraine) or facilitating Ukrainian operations inside Russia,” he said (quote according to RIA Novosti).

According to Kirby, the United States is helping Ukraine only to protect its territory and lands that were lost during the armed conflict.

December 5 Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have taken attempts to attack the airfields “Dyagilevo” in the Ryazan region and “Engels” in the Saratov region. According to the Ministry of Defense, the enemy’s targets were long-range aircraft. The department said that the drones were shot down by an air defense system, but three soldiers were killed when their debris fell. Also, the skin of the hull of two aircraft received minor damage.

German Cabinet Speaker Steffen Hebestreit December 7 declaredthat Ukraine is “not obliged to limit” actions to its own territories, and that attempts to strike Russian airfields are “legal”. He added that the German side took note of reports of destruction at Russian air bases and is of the opinion that Ukraine has a legitimate right to self-defense, which comes from Article 51 of the UN Charter. On the same day, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken declaredthat the United States does not encourage strikes on Russian territory and does not help Ukraine in this.