Ukrainian missile attacking Russian positions at the frontline in Kharkiv
(Picture: AP)Russia has accused the United States of being directly involved in the war in Ukraine, saying US spies were coordinating Ukrainian missile strikes on Russian forces.
Russia’s defence ministry alleged that Vadym Skibitsky, Ukraine’s deputy head of military intelligence, had admitted that Washington coordinates missile strikes.
“All this undeniably proves that Washington, contrary to White House and Pentagon claims, is directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine," it said.
US President Joe Biden has supplied billions of dollars of arms to Kyiv, but administration officials have stressed they do not want a direct confrontation between the US and Russia.
Russia’s defence ministry further claimed that the Biden administration was responsible for missile attacks on civilian targets in areas controlled by Russian-backed forces in eastern Ukraine.
“It is the Biden administration that is directly responsible for all Kyiv-approved rocket attacks on residential areas and civilian infrastructure in populated areas of Donbas and other regions, which have resulted in mass deaths of civilians," the defence ministry said.
There was no immediate reaction to the ministry’s allegations from the White House or Pentagon.
Western allies have accused Russia of carrying out deliberate strikes on civilian targets throughout the war.
Deliveries of long-range weapons systems from the West to Ukraine are seen as vital if Kyiv’s forces are to turn the tide of the unprovoked invasion.
Russia’s accusations came after Turkey said that the first ship carrying Ukrainian grain since the invasion blocked exports more than five months ago was on track to safely arrive in Istanbul on Tuesday night.
The vessel’s departure on Monday from the Ukrainian port of Odesa under a safe passage deal has raised hopes a food shortage can be avoided.
Turkey expects roughly one grain ship to leave Ukraine’s Black Sea ports each day as long as the safe passage agreement holds, a senior Turkish official, who asked to remain anonymous, told Reuters on Tuesday.
The United Nations has warned of the risk of multiple famines this year because of the war in Ukraine.
