On Monday, the Kremlin outright blamed the United States for an attack committed against Crimea that killed at least four people, injuring 151.

The attack on Crime was conducted using U.S.-supplied ATACMS, with Moscow warning the U.S. Ambassador that a “retaliation would follow”. According to Russian officials, the conflict is beginning the most dangerous period of escalation thus far in the war. However, outright blaming the United States for the attack on Crimea is a different level of escalation than previously seen before. A statement given by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov highlights the nature of the accusation “You should ask my colleagues in Europe, and above all in Washington, the press secretaries, why their governments are killing Russian children”. Russia’s Foreign Ministry told U.S. Ambassador Lynne Tracy that Washington was “waging a hybrid war against Russia and has actually become a party to the conflict”. The foreign ministry continued by adding “Retaliatory measures will definitely follow”. Major Charlie Dietz, a spokesperson for the Pentagon, stated “Ukraine makes its own targeting decisions and conducts its own military operations”. On Thursday, Putin suggested that Russia might supply North Korea with weapons in response to the U.S. armament of Ukraine.

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https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/kremlin-blames-us-barbaric-atacms-missile-attack-crimea-2024-06-24/