Russian Foreign Minister accused US, NATO of direct involvement in Ukraine war

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By Euronews  with AP
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities were intended to weaken Ukraine’s military potential.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities were intended to weaken Ukraine’s military potential.   -  Copyright  AP/Russian Foreign Ministry Press Service

Russia’s foreign minister on Thursday accused the West of becoming directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine by supplying it with weapons and training its soldiers.

Sergei Lavrov also said that Russia’s strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities and other key infrastructure that have left millions without power, heating and water were intended to weaken Ukraine’s military potential and derail the shipments of Western weapons.

“You shouldn't say that the US and NATO aren’t taking part in this war, you are directly participating in it,” Lavrov said in a video call with reporters. 

“And not just by providing weapons but also by training personnel. You are training their military on your territory, on the territories of Britain, Germany, Italy and other countries.”

He said that the barrage of Russian missile strikes was intended to “knock out energy facilities that allow you to keep pumping deadly weapons into Ukraine in order to kill the Russians”.

Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of targeting key civilian infrastructure in order to reduce morale and force Ukraine into peace talks on Moscow's conditions.

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