٠٠:٠٣:٠٢Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 'would not have dared' to attack the Kursk region 'if the USA had not instructed him to do so' while answering media questions in Baku on Monday.
"The guilty conscience has given itself away long ago. The evolution from 'we had nothing to do with it', 'nobody asked us' to 'we were approached, but we did not authorise it', 'Zaluzhny disobeyed' is all child’s talk. It is perfectly clear to everyone that Zelensky would never have decided to do this, that this was definitely his decision," Lavrov said.
"He boasts that he is creating a 'buffer zone' and damaging the Russian state. But he would never have dared to do this if the USA had not instructed him to do so," he continued.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valeriy Gerasimov, stated that Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) units went on the offensive to seize part of the territory in the Sudzhansky district of the Kursk region on August 6, while the actions of Russian troops 'stopped the enemy's advance deep into the territory'.
During a meeting with the governors of border regions on August 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the main goal of the AFU was to try to stop the Russian troops' offensive and destabilise the situation in the country, noting that there could be no negotiations with those who 'indiscriminately attack civilians, civilian infrastructure, or try to threaten nuclear power facilities'.
According to the Kursk region's acting government, 12 people were killed, 121 wounded, including ten children, in the attack. A counter-terrorist operation regime was introduced in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions on August 9.
More than 120,000 people have been evacuated from the border districts of the Kursk region. Over 10,000 Kursk residents have been placed in temporary shelters on the territory of 24 regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the AFU’s goal in the Kursk region was to 'create a buffer zone' on the Russian territory. On August 19, he said that "if [Western] partners lifted the restriction on long-range strikes against Russia, there would be no need to launch an operation in the Kursk region".
Meanwhile, European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said that "EU continues to fully support Ukraine’s legitimate right to defend itself against Russian aggression and its efforts to restore sovereignty and territorial integrity."
The US State Department said that its policy of using US weapons to "target imminent threats just across the border" had not changed and that the incursion had not violated US policy.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
'Guilty conscience has given itself away long ago' - Lavrov claims US 'instructed' Kiev to invade Kursk
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 'would not have dared' to attack the Kursk region 'if the USA had not instructed him to do so' while answering media questions in Baku on Monday.
"The guilty conscience has given itself away long ago. The evolution from 'we had nothing to do with it', 'nobody asked us' to 'we were approached, but we did not authorise it', 'Zaluzhny disobeyed' is all child’s talk. It is perfectly clear to everyone that Zelensky would never have decided to do this, that this was definitely his decision," Lavrov said.
"He boasts that he is creating a 'buffer zone' and damaging the Russian state. But he would never have dared to do this if the USA had not instructed him to do so," he continued.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valeriy Gerasimov, stated that Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) units went on the offensive to seize part of the territory in the Sudzhansky district of the Kursk region on August 6, while the actions of Russian troops 'stopped the enemy's advance deep into the territory'.
During a meeting with the governors of border regions on August 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the main goal of the AFU was to try to stop the Russian troops' offensive and destabilise the situation in the country, noting that there could be no negotiations with those who 'indiscriminately attack civilians, civilian infrastructure, or try to threaten nuclear power facilities'.
According to the Kursk region's acting government, 12 people were killed, 121 wounded, including ten children, in the attack. A counter-terrorist operation regime was introduced in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions on August 9.
More than 120,000 people have been evacuated from the border districts of the Kursk region. Over 10,000 Kursk residents have been placed in temporary shelters on the territory of 24 regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the AFU’s goal in the Kursk region was to 'create a buffer zone' on the Russian territory. On August 19, he said that "if [Western] partners lifted the restriction on long-range strikes against Russia, there would be no need to launch an operation in the Kursk region".
Meanwhile, European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said that "EU continues to fully support Ukraine’s legitimate right to defend itself against Russian aggression and its efforts to restore sovereignty and territorial integrity."
The US State Department said that its policy of using US weapons to "target imminent threats just across the border" had not changed and that the incursion had not violated US policy.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 'would not have dared' to attack the Kursk region 'if the USA had not instructed him to do so' while answering media questions in Baku on Monday.
"The guilty conscience has given itself away long ago. The evolution from 'we had nothing to do with it', 'nobody asked us' to 'we were approached, but we did not authorise it', 'Zaluzhny disobeyed' is all child’s talk. It is perfectly clear to everyone that Zelensky would never have decided to do this, that this was definitely his decision," Lavrov said.
"He boasts that he is creating a 'buffer zone' and damaging the Russian state. But he would never have dared to do this if the USA had not instructed him to do so," he continued.
The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valeriy Gerasimov, stated that Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) units went on the offensive to seize part of the territory in the Sudzhansky district of the Kursk region on August 6, while the actions of Russian troops 'stopped the enemy's advance deep into the territory'.
During a meeting with the governors of border regions on August 12, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the main goal of the AFU was to try to stop the Russian troops' offensive and destabilise the situation in the country, noting that there could be no negotiations with those who 'indiscriminately attack civilians, civilian infrastructure, or try to threaten nuclear power facilities'.
According to the Kursk region's acting government, 12 people were killed, 121 wounded, including ten children, in the attack. A counter-terrorist operation regime was introduced in the Kursk, Belgorod, and Bryansk regions on August 9.
More than 120,000 people have been evacuated from the border districts of the Kursk region. Over 10,000 Kursk residents have been placed in temporary shelters on the territory of 24 regions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the AFU’s goal in the Kursk region was to 'create a buffer zone' on the Russian territory. On August 19, he said that "if [Western] partners lifted the restriction on long-range strikes against Russia, there would be no need to launch an operation in the Kursk region".
Meanwhile, European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said that "EU continues to fully support Ukraine’s legitimate right to defend itself against Russian aggression and its efforts to restore sovereignty and territorial integrity."
The US State Department said that its policy of using US weapons to "target imminent threats just across the border" had not changed and that the incursion had not violated US policy.
Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO.
Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow.