US, NATO 'indirect party' to Ukraine conflict with 'obvious' involvement: Russia

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The US and NATO are already “an indirect party” to the Ukraine conflict, where their involvement is “obvious,” Russia said on Tuesday.

“They have de facto become an indirect party to this conflict, pumping Ukraine with weapons, technologies, and intelligence. So, their involvement in this conflict is obvious,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a news briefing in Moscow.

He denounced the “cynical” and “inexplicable” reaction of Ukraine and some Western states to Russia’s unilateral cease-fire for Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7.

This was a purely humanitarian truce so that people could pray in churches, and if it allowed anyone to do that, then its goal was achieved, he asserted.

Amid reports of a change in Russia’s military hierarchy, Peskov did not confirm or deny whether Colonel-General Alexander Lapin has been appointed as the chief of the country’s ground forces.

Some presidential decrees are open to all and others are classified, he said.

“Among those published, there is no such decree,” he said.

Lapin commanded Russian troops in Syria in 2018 and 2019, and up until last October was in charge of a command center for what Moscow calls it “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Peskov also declined to confirm whether ex-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev held talks in Türkiye with Kurt Volker, the former US special representative for Ukraine negotiations, and Victoria Nuland, the US undersecretary of state for political affairs.

On Armenia’s refusal to allow military exercises of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on its territory, the Kremlin spokesman said the CSTO “will clarify the details of Armenia’s position.”

Regarding reports of sales of Russian oil at less than half the price of Brent crude, Peskov said Moscow continues to “closely monitor” global oil prices.

The Kremlin spokesman also warned countries against any moves to seize Russian assets, asserting that such actions are illegal under international law and will carry consequences.