Russia’s actions against Ukraine proportionate – defense minister
Russia’s actions during the Ukraine operation are a response to national security threats that have long loomed over the country, Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has said, adding that Moscow is determined to achieve all of its goals in the conflict.
Speaking on Friday at the defense ministers’ meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kazakhstan, Belousov signaled that he is confident of Moscow’s success in the Ukraine conflict. The CSTO is a military alliance that includes several former Soviet republics.
“Russia is continuing its special military operation, and all its goals will certainly be achieved. We are acting resolutely and proportionately to security threats,” the defense minister said. He added that the Ukraine conflict has helped strengthen the Russian military and the country’s defense industrial base.
This progress means that “all attempts to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on us are futile,” Belousov added.
The defense minister went on to say that Ukraine’s troops have lost the initiative on the battlefield, as they are gradually being pushed back in Kharkov Region. Against this backdrop, “the Kiev regime continues to demonstrate to its Western sponsors its ability to inflict damage on Russia by attacking civilian infrastructure,” Belousov said, adding that these attacks have intensified ahead of the Swiss-hosted Ukraine peace summit in mid-June.
Moscow will not attend the event, arguing that it will revolve around Vladimir Zelensky’s peace formula, which Russia has rejected as a non-starter for negotiations.
Belousov’s comments come after several media outlets reported, citing sources, that US President Joe Biden has granted approval for Kiev to conduct “limited” long-range strikes deep into Russia, which according to the New York Times, could open “a new chapter in the war for Ukraine.” However, White House officials have reportedly insisted that the policy change applies only to cross-border attacks meant to deter the Russian offensive in Kharkov Region.
