The Kremlin has issued a chilling warning that the recently-approved aid package for Ukraine will lead to the “deaths of even more Ukrainians.”
On Saturday, the US House of Representatives approved more than $60 billion (£48 billion) in aid to Ukraine after the potentially game-changing assistance for Kyiv stalled in Congress for months over political infighting.
Lawmakers also approved billions more in aid for other US allies. The Senate will now vote on the package, before it heads to Joe Biden for sign-off.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in remarks reported by Russia‘s state news agencies: “The decision will make the United States of America richer, further ruin Ukraine and result in the deaths of even more Ukrainians, the fault of the Kyiv regime,”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova echoed this sentiment on Telegram: “The allocation of military assistance by the United States to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan will aggravate the global crisis.”
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Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president and current deputy chairman of Russia‘s security council, said the approval of new aid to Ukraine was “Russophobic” and would exacerbate “the number of victims of this war.”
He also said on Telegram: “I cannot with all sincerity not wish the United States to plunge into a new civil war as quickly as possible.”
Ukrainian officials and Western experts had warned that Kyiv would keep losing territory to Moscow without military aid from the US, and that the country was likely to face a new offensive starting as early as late next month.
Ukrainian forces have been running low on key supplies, such as ammunition and interceptor missiles for the country’s air-defense systems.
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Ukraine has “long fought for” the replenished aid, Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement calling the package “very significant.”
He added: “We appreciate every sign of support for our country and its independence, people, and way of life, which Russia is attempting to bury under the rubble.”
Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelensky’s office, said: “The people of Ukraine are sincerely grateful to the US Congress for the positive voting on the military aid package bill for our country. It is vital for Ukraine.”