Moscow, August 16, 2024, The Europe Today: Former Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev has asserted that Kiev would not have dared to launch a large-scale incursion into Russian territory without the approval of Washington and the support of NATO. In an interview with Izvestia published on Friday, Patrushev commented on last week’s attack, which marked Kiev’s largest offensive on Russian soil since the conflict began in February 2022.
Patrushev dismissed Western officials’ claims of no prior knowledge or involvement in the operation, which targeted Russia’s Kursk Region. “The U.S. leadership’s claims of non-involvement in Kiev’s actions in Kursk Region do not correspond to reality… Without their participation and direct support, Kiev would not have ventured into Russian territory,” Patrushev stated.
Patrushev, who now oversees Russia’s global maritime strategy, accused the West of installing a “criminal junta” in Ukraine and providing continuous military support to Kiev. He emphasized that NATO countries have supplied weapons, military instructors, and intelligence, controlling the actions of Ukrainian forces.
The incursion, which Russian forces swiftly countered, has led to significant civilian casualties, with at least 12 killed and 121 wounded, according to the local governor. Over 120,000 residents were forced to evacuate the region.
Patrushev characterized the incursion as a desperate act by a regime on the brink of collapse, driven by U.S. interests. He argued that the actions of Kiev, supported by the West, have further destabilized the region and diminished any prospects for peace talks—a goal that Ukrainian officials claim the incursion was meant to advance.
Russian officials have condemned the attack as a “terrorist” act and hold Western nations, particularly the U.S., accountable for the resulting atrocities. “Washington’s efforts have created all the prerequisites for Ukraine to lose its sovereignty and part of its territories, including those coveted by some American allies,” Patrushev warned.
