Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. claimed Tuesday that the latest package of American military assistance for Kyiv is tantamount to a “calming pill” for the Ukrainian government, which he said was on the verge of collapse.
“The message about another American arms supply to the regime is nothing more than a calming pill prepared for [Ukrainian President Vladimir] Zelenskyy by overseas ‘benefactors’,” Anatoly Antonov, Russian ambassador to the United States, said on Telegram.
“The situation at the front and in the Ukrainian government is on the verge of complete collapse,” he added.
The Pentagon announced an additional package of military assistance for Kyiv of around $100 million on Monday. The aid includes anti-tank weapons and missiles for air defense systems.
Wreckage of a car marked with a Russian military symbol “Z” at a Russian military base, which Ukrainian forces destroyed by HIMARS during a counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast, on Sept. 26, 2022 in Balakliia, Ukraine. Balakliia was under Russian occupation for half a year. On Sept. 10, Ukraine’s armed forces liberated the city.
Global Images Ukraine | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Announcing the latest tranche of aid during a visit to Kyiv, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pledged the U.S.’ long-term support for Ukraine despite concerns about the sustainability of such help.
In other news, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Ukrainians they must be tenacious in the battle against Russia, as Kyiv commemorated recent public pro-Western uprisings.
