Tendency to blame Russia for ‘everything’ is a ‘disease’: Kremlin

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Kremlin on Monday said that there is a tendency to blame Russia for “everything” when asked if Moscow was behind a leak of US intelligence documents regarding Russia’s war on Ukraine.

"No, I can't comment on this in any way. We all know that the tendency to constantly blame Russia for everything is a widespread disease right now. So, there's nothing to comment on," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a news briefing.

Asked to comment on media reports that Washington might be spying on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Peskov said this cannot be ruled out.

He added that he did not have information on a leaked document's claims that a British reconnaissance aircraft was "almost shot down" by Russian Su-27 fighters over the Black Sea in the fall of 2022.

"I do not have such information. This topic is closer to the Ministry of Defense. Therefore, I recommend contacting them," Peskov said.

The Pentagon said on Friday it is conducting an investigation after alleged screenshots of classified US and NATO documents regarding the Ukraine war and other issues emerged on social media.

The documents, which carry US Joint Chiefs of Staff seals, are largely believed to be factual, but some of the contents were allegedly altered.

The Defense Department is “aware of the reports of social media posts, and the department is reviewing the matter,” Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary, told Anadolu.

- No initiative for Easter truce in Ukraine

Peskov said that there was no initiative to establish an Easter truce in Ukraine, adding that in the past, any truce proposed by Moscow was ignored by Kyiv.

He also said that France cannot claim the role of a mediator between Russia and Ukraine.

"Paris can hardly claim the role of a mediator now, because Paris actually takes the side of one of the participants in the conflict. Paris, in addition, is indirectly and directly involved in this conflict on the side of Ukraine," the Kremlin spokesman said.

He also commented on China’s military drills in the South China Sea around the island of Taiwan, saying that Beijing has the right to conduct such exercises in response to “provocations.”

"In a very short period of time, we have witnessed multiple actions that were provocative towards the People's Republic of China. And, of course, China has the sovereign right to respond to these provocative actions, including conducting military maneuvers in strict accordance with international law," he said.

China conducted mass military drills after US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy hosted Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen for a meeting in California last week.

*Anadolu’s US and Asia-Pacific desks contributed to this story.