UA
FR
DEThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine rejects all Russia’s insinuations concerning alleged instructors of American private military companies, chemicals, and shelling of residential neighborhoods in Donbas.
“Statements by the minister of defence of the Russian Federation about alleged chemicals, instructors of American private military companies, shelling of residential neighborhoods in Donbas are yet another example of massive Russian disinformation. Russia continues to create information cover for possible further provocations of its troops in Ukrainian territory,” Oleh Nikolenko, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, said.
He added that official Kyiv called on the Russian leadership to stop hostile rhetoric, return to a constructive path, and start implementing the Minsk Agreements and arrangements made by the Normandy format leaders.
According to Nikolenko, the cessation of Russian armed aggression against Ukraine and Russia’s rejection of the logic of confrontation will be the best guarantee of security on the European continent.
At the same time, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Defence also refuted the statement by the Russian defence minister about the alleged preparation of provocations in Donbas with the participation of American “private military companies.”
“Those statements by Minister Shoigu are completely false,” Pentagon Spokesperson John Kirby said.
It is Russia and its proxies who are responsible for escalating tensions near Ukraine’s border, noted Ned Price, Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State.
Background
On Tuesday, 21 December, Russian defence minister Sergey Shoigu said at a meeting of the Defence Ministry board with the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin that allegedly 120 U.S. military mercenaries had brought chemical weapons to Ukraine and were preparing a provocation in Donbas.
Bohdan Marusyak
