The Kremlin on Monday warned the United States of “consequences” and summoned its ambassador, a day after Moscow said an attack by Ukraine using a US-made missile killed four people in Crimea.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the attack on Sevastopol “barbaric,” and accused Washington of “killing Russian children.”
Two of the victims were teenagers.
Peskov pointed to statements made by President Vladimir Putin earlier this month about arming countries that could potentially attack Western targets.
“The involvement of the United States, the direct involvement, which led to the killing of Russian citizens, cannot be without consequences,” Peskov told reporters.
“Time will tell what they will be,” he said.
Russia’s foreign ministry said it had summoned US envoy Lynne Tracy on Monday.
It later said in a statement that Washington “shares responsibility with Kyiv for these killings” and that the attack would not “go unpunished.”
Russia has said that the attack on Sevastopol on Sunday was the use of an ATACMS missile that was given to Ukraine by the United States.
Local officials named by Moscow said the missile hit an area of the port city with beaches and hotels.
In a meeting this month with international news agencies, including AFP, Putin criticized the long-range weaponry deployed by the West to Ukraine.
“If someone thinks that it is possible to send such weapons to a war zone and attack our land and create problems for us, what prevents us from delivering similar weapons to regions of the world where attacks will take place against them?” which are the critical centers of those (western) countries?” said Putin.
“That is, the answer can be uneven. We will think about it,” he told reporters.
Peskov also repeated Putin’s statements that the information about the targets attacked by Ukraine was provided by Western countries, medico
Peskov also repeated Putin’s statements that the information about the targets attacked by Ukraine was provided by Western countries
Peskov also repeated Putin’s statements that the information about the targets attacked by Ukraine was provided by Western countries video
Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014.
Andriy Yermak, the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, said on Monday: “Crimea is Ukraine”.
“Russia must leave the island it is on. Their troops and military equipment there must be removed,” he said on social media.
A senior aide to the president of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolyak, also suggested that Crimea is a legitimate military target.
“Crimea is also a large military camp and warehouse, where there are hundreds of direct military targets, which the Russians are trying to hide and hide under their own people,” he said.