The White House said on the 6th (local time) that it was an “inaccurate report” that the U.S. provided information necessary for Ukraine to sink the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s flagship, the Moscow, as well as to kill Russian generals last month.
“We did not provide Ukraine with specific target information regarding Russia,” White House press secretary Jen Saki said during a briefing on the plane during President Joe Biden’s visit to Ohio. “I was not involved in the operations carried out,” he said.
“We were unaware of the Ukrainian attack on[Russian]ships in advance,” Saki said. emphasized.
“[Our]view of it[the press]is an inaccurate exaggeration[reporting]of our role,” Saki said, introducing that he had discussed the matter with President Joe Biden and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. ” he said.
He also pointed out that there is an underestimation of Ukraine, which has a higher level of access to information than the US provided to Ukraine.
While the U.S. provides a variety of information to help Ukraine understand the threat posed by Russian ships in the Black Sea and prepares itself to defend itself from potential naval attacks, Saki said, Ukraine does not take U.S. intelligence. They explained that they combine it with the information they have.
“So this specific report is not an accurate description of how this happened,” he added.
In this regard, Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby said at a regular briefing on the same day that the United States was providing information regarding Russian troops to Ukraine that the U.S. deems meaningful and timely, but said there was “no information to confirm”. .
“We are not the only providers of confidentiality and information to Ukrainians,” Kirby said. Not only do they get information from other countries, but they themselves have very strong intelligence-gathering capabilities.”
“Ukraine ultimately makes its own decisions regarding what to do with the information it gathers following it gathers the information it obtains,” he said. . They have no obligation to tell us how, when or where they will use that information.”
Earlier on the 5th, US media such as the Washington Post (WP), citing government officials, reported that the US provided the information necessary for Ukraine to sank the Moscow ship last month and to kill Russian generals.
Ukraine claimed that it sank the Moscow on the 14th of last month with two Neptune anti-ship missiles. The cruiser Moscow, which played a key role in operations such as commanding the Russian Black Sea Fleet, was recorded as the largest warship Russia lost in battle since World War II.
According to reports, the Ukrainian military inquired of the US regarding a vessel sailing south of Odessa, a port city in southern Ukraine, before launching the missile. The US identified the warship as the Moscow and helped her locate it, which was subsequently targeted by Ukrainian forces.
However, officials said the US was not aware of the Ukraine attack on the Moscow and was not involved in the decision.
The New York Times (NYT) reported that information provided by the United States played a major role in the deaths of more than 10 Russian generals since the invasion of Ukraine on the 4th. Ukraine claims that 12 Russian generals have been killed so far.
U.S. media reported that the U.S. government declined to confirm official statement, fearing that the report might provoke Russia or justify a retaliatory attack on the United States and its allies.
(Washington = News 1)
