MOSCOW (Dispatches) - Russia has warned the U.S. and Turkey against opening “Pandora’s box” by selling arms to Ukraine, saying such a move would “inevitably undermine mutual trust” with both Washington and Ankara.
Media reports said on Saturday that Washington is preparing to authorize the transfer of a large consignment of weapons, which includes 70 ATACMS missiles, worth around $280 million, from Turkey to Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned against the move, saying both Washington and Ankara had decided to open another “Pandora’s box” while claiming to be making special efforts to restore peace in Ukraine.
The Russian senior diplomat pointed out that supplying Kyiv with more weapons and ammunition would not only add to the death and destruction caused by the war, but also undermine the trust between Moscow and the two capitals.
“Attempts to use peacemaking rhetoric while simultaneously supplying weapons to Ukrainian Nazis inevitably undermine mutual trust,” Zakharova noted.
“The issue is not only the casualties and destruction that the authorities in Kyiv seek to increase, but also the serious damage to our bilateral relations with Washington and Ankara,” Zakharova added.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said the circumstances and terms of the deliveries were “highly contradictory.”
According to Zakharova, it was unclear who had initiated the re-export or how and when the munitions would reach Ukraine.
It was reported on August 8 that Kiev had purchased 70 ATACMS missiles, 12 Multiple Launch Rocket System launchers and tens of thousands of banned cluster munitions from Ankara.
However, reselling U.S.-made weaponry stockpiled in Turkey to Kyiv requires U.S. authorization.
The U.S. Congress has 15 calendar days to approve the move. The Trump administration’s authorization automatically takes effect upon the approval of both chambers of Congress.
The weapons cache is expected to be delivered through Turkish, Bulgarian and American military and logistics companies once congressional approval is received.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly issued warnings to the U.S.-led NATO member states against supplying more arms and ammunition to Kiev, saying that providing weaponry to Ukrainian forces will not change the outcome of the war and will only prolong it and add to the casualties and destruction.
On Saturday, Russia and Ukraine traded overnight attacks, with Ukrainian officials reporting at least five killed in Russian strikes and damage to the country’s largest steel plant, while Russian officials said Ukrainian drones killed at least six and set warehouses ablaze.
In Kryviy Rih, Russian ballistic missiles struck the ArcelorMittal Kryviy Rih steelworks, killing two people and injuring 14, Ukrainian officials said. The company said key production facilities in the power-generation and blast-furnace sectors were damaged and operations were partially halted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the cities of Kremenchuk and Kryviy Rih had been hit by ballistic missiles, adding: “Wherever the Russians can reach with their ballistic missiles, they strike civilian infrastructure.”