Moscow, August 20, 2024, The Europe Today: The U.S. Charge d’Affaires in Moscow, Stephanie Holmes, was summoned to Russia’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday in response to allegations of American involvement in a recent incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region. The ministry issued a formal demarche, accusing an American private military company (PMC) and U.S. journalists of participating in and promoting the attack.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, members of the PMC, known as the Forward Observation Group, posted a photo on Instagram showing them in military gear with weapons, claiming participation in the offensive on Russia’s border region. The soldiers in the photo were seen wearing blue armbands, a symbol commonly used by Ukrainian troops.
The ministry’s statement asserted that this evidence contradicts the Biden administration’s claims that the U.S. is not involved in the “attacks by Ukrainian neo-Nazis on Russia.” The ministry further stated that these actions “clearly demonstrate the United States’ role as a direct participant in the conflict and its complicity in Vladimir Zelensky’s malicious plans.”
Moscow also expressed strong objections to the presence of American journalists who allegedly entered Russian territory illegally to report on the cross-border operation. The ministry accused these journalists of providing “propaganda coverage of the crimes committed by the Kiev regime” and warned that U.S. citizens involved would face necessary investigative actions under Russian law to ensure accountability.
Holmes was informed that all foreign “specialists” or mercenaries who illegally cross the Russian border would be considered legitimate military targets by the Russian Armed Forces.
The incursion into Kursk Region, described as the largest cross-border offensive into Russia since the conflict began, reportedly started earlier this month. While there were some initial gains by Ukrainian forces, the Russian Defense Ministry has claimed to have halted the advance, estimating Ukrainian losses at over 4,100 troops.
