Ukraine crisis: US accuses Russia of forming fake plot as invasion pretext
The United States has accused Russia of fabricating an attack by Ukrainian forces as a pretext to invade.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Washington has credible intelligence about an elaborate Russian plot, amid heightened tensions.
Moscow has been accused by the US of producing a graphic propaganda video of staged explosions and corpses, as well as actors depicting grieving mourners.
The alleged plans for a fake attack on Russian territory or Russian citizens have been shared with Ukrainian officials and European allies in recent days.
It is the latest allegation by the US and the United Kingdom that Russia is plotting to use a false pretext to go to war against Ukraine.
“We’ve seen these kinds of activity by the Russians in the past, and we believe it’s important when we see it like this, and when we can, to call it out,” Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon.
Kirby stated that Moscow would also stage military equipment used by Ukraine and the West to support the alleged scheme.
UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said the US intelligence "is clear and shocking evidence of Russia's unprovoked aggression and underhand activity to destabilise Ukraine".
The US intelligence claims come as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered to mediate talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Erdogan said on Thursday that Ankara was “prepared to undertake its part in order to end the crisis between two friendly nations that are its neighbours in the Black Sea.”
“I have stressed that we would be happy to host a summit meeting at a leadership level or technical level talks,” Erdogan said after talks with Zelenskyy.
“Instead of fueling the fire, we act with the logical aim of reducing the tensions," he added.
The Ukrainian President welcomed Erdogan’s
Read more on euronews.com
