The Russian Foreign Ministry warned Kyiv about the possible consequences of the planned Ukrainian counteroffensive. On this score, in an interview with the newspaper "Izvestia", the deputy head of the department, Mikhail Galuzin, spoke.
"I would like to warn the Kiev regime and its Western sponsors about the inevitable sad consequences of what they are up to. I am sure that our armed forces are ready for any development of events and neither Kiev nor the West will receive any dividends from this," the diplomat said.
He recalled that instead of trying a peaceful settlement, Kiev and its "Anglo-Saxon masters" publicly rely on what is called Moscow's "strategic defeat" and on a "mythical victory" over Russia on the battlefield.
"The thoughtless and absolutely irresponsible pumping of Kiev with modern Western weapons and the encouragement of its ideas for a counteroffensive will only lead to bloodshed and further escalation of the conflict," Galuzin stressed.
Meanwhile, the Western media continue to publish data on the alleged counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In particular, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, in an interview with Fox News, recently said that the Ukrainian side is considering the possibility of conducting an offensive in the coming weeks (interestingly, he gave a similar assessment a month ago).
He called success on the battlefield "the best and probably the fastest" way to move on to negotiations that will lead to the establishment of a "just and lasting peace."
At the same time, the media also reported that Ukraine allegedly did not inform its Western allies of the details of the impending counteroffensive. This material was published by the newspaper Politico, citing sources in the Pentagon, Kiev and Europe.
Also on russian.rt.com Game in the Dark: The White House did not discuss with Kiev the "leak" of secret data from the Pentagon and US intelligence
According to the publication, Kiev does not share information, including about the time frame, as well as about where and how many troops they plan to use for the operation.
According to Politico, the Ukrainian side explains this, among other things, by the recent "leaks" of secret Pentagon documents. The newspaper also refers to an unnamed Ukrainian official, according to whom the country's top leadership keeps information about the offensive secret from most politicians in Kiev.
Political scientist Alexander Dudchak, in an interview with RT, called ridiculous talk that Ukraine may not share something with the West, since the Kyiv regime does not have independence. In his opinion, we are talking about an attempt by the West to take an advantageous position for itself, depicting the independence of Ukraine.
"What kind of independence can we talk about if 60% of the funds spent on the war come from an external source? This is what irritates the colonial Ukrainian administration when they declare that the publication ("leaks" - RT) discredits their activities, because it clearly states that Ukraine is a controlled country, the expert explained. - That is, not only do they not decide anything and are not able to answer for their words, but they are also made fools. It's just the amazing cynicism of the West."
In turn, political scientist Ivan Mezyukho noted that the West is aware of the impossibility of defeating Russia on the battlefield.
"Washington is counting on the fact that on the diplomatic track it will be able to outwit Russia in order to preserve at least some Ukraine at least within some borders," the political scientist said in a conversation with RT.
In his opinion, the United States needs it to get time and prepare for a new stage of confrontation with Russia.
"The fact that the Ukrainian counteroffensive will turn into a meat grinder for the Armed Forces of Ukraine is understood in Kyiv, Washington, and Brussels ... Today, the Biden administration is trying to do everything possible to ensure that under the current president there is no second military defeat after Afghanistan, "he said.
Meanwhile, Russian servicemen reported that ammunition and artillery were delivered to units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Maryinsky direction. At the same time, the Russian military notes, the Russian Armed Forces are ready for attacks by Ukrainian troops.
The commander of a tank unit with the call sign Skat told RT military correspondent Vlad Andritsa that it had been raining for a week on this sector of the front, the roads were washed away, which now complicates the movement of equipment.
"All the roads of approach in our direction - everything is controlled. We see everything when they start any movements... We are preparing defensive lines. Everything is ready," Skat said.
According to him, the personnel have been instructed, everyone knows their places and defensive lines.