US slams Russia’s ‘dangerous escalation’ in Ukraine amid new deadly strikes

The United States has accused Russia of a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation” of its astir four-year war successful Ukraine, astatine a clip erstwhile US President Donald Trump is trying to beforehand negotiations towards peace.

The US issued its latest informing connected Monday, during an exigency gathering of the United Nations Security Council.

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“Russia’s enactment risks expanding and intensifying the war,” Tammy Bruce, the US’s lawman ambassador to the UN, told the council.

The US expressed peculiar alarm astir Russia’s usage of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile past week, which resulted successful a “staggering fig of casualties” successful Ukraine.

“At a infinitesimal of tremendous potential, owed lone to President Trump’s unparalleled committedness to bid astir the world, some sides should beryllium seeking ways to de-escalate,” Bruce said.

Still, hours aboriginal connected Tuesday morning, Russia launched a caller circular of strikes connected Ukraine’s northeastern metropolis of Kharkiv, sidesplitting astatine slightest 2 radical and wounding astatine slightest 3 others.

Missile strikes were besides reported successful the capital, Kyiv, but their interaction could not beryllium instantly assessed.

Ukraine called for the Security Council gathering aft Russia bombarded the state past Thursday with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, including the Oreshnik missile.

That onslaught was lone the 2nd clip Russia had launched the almighty Oreshnik rocket successful a combat scenario, and its usage was wide interpreted arsenic a wide informing to Kyiv’s NATO allies.

At Monday’s meeting, Bruce reminded Russia that, astir a twelvemonth ago, it voted successful favour of a UN Security Council solution calling for an extremity to the struggle successful Ukraine.

“In the tone of that resolution, Russia, Ukraine and Europe indispensable prosecute bid earnestly and bring this nightmare to an end.”

On Monday, Moscow acknowledged the Oreshnik attack, which it said targeted an aviation repair mill successful the Lviv portion successful occidental Ukraine. It said the rocket was fired successful effect to Ukraine’s effort to onslaught 1 of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residences, a assertion that Kyiv has denied and the US has dismissed arsenic inaccurate.

Last week’s large-scale Russian onslaught came days aft Ukraine and its Western allies reported advancement towards an statement to support the state from further Moscow aggression if a US-led bid deal is struck.

The attack besides coincided with a caller chill successful relations betwixt Moscow and Washington.

The Kremlin precocious condemned the US seizure of a Russian-flagged lipid tanker successful the North Atlantic, calling the subject enactment a usurpation of planetary law. Trump, meanwhile, has signalled that helium is connected committee with a hard-hitting sanctions bundle meant to economically cripple Russia.

Moscow has fixed nary nationalist awesome it is consenting to budge from its maximalist demands connected Ukraine, including that the planetary assemblage recognise its annexation of Ukrainian territory.

At Monday’s Security Council meeting, Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, alternatively blamed the diplomatic impasse connected Ukraine.

Nebenzia said that, until Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “comes to his senses and agrees to realistic conditions for negotiations, we volition proceed solving the occupation by subject means”.

“He was warned agelong ago, with each passing day, each time which helium squanders, the conditions for negotiations volition lone get worse for him,” Nebenzia added.

Ukraine’s UN ambassador, Andrii Melnyk, countered that Russia is much susceptible now than astatine immoderate clip since the commencement of its full-scale penetration successful February 2022, with its system slowing and lipid gross down.

“Russia wants to merchantability to this assembly and the full UN household the content that it is invincible, but this is different illusion,” helium told the council.

“The cautiously staged representation of spot is thing but fume and mirrors, wholly detached from reality.”

Early connected Tuesday, Kharkiv Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov confirmed the deaths of astatine slightest 2 radical and the wounding of 3 others pursuing the latest Russian strike.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov besides said a Russian long-range drone struck a aesculapian installation for children, causing a fire.

In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said aerial defences were successful cognition aft Russia launched missiles targeting the city.