Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, warned that the West’s provision of heavy weapons to Ukraine represented a “blatant escalation.”

In a TV interview, he dismissed the speculation that the Russian war in Ukraine was “literally”, noting that “one of the reasons for the so-called slow progress of the military operation is that we do not strike at civilian infrastructure.” He emphasized that “the process is developing according to a predetermined plan, and of course there are some tactical changes, because it is impossible to predict what will happen on the front line.”

“I don’t think that anyone in the Russian leadership has said anything about plans to take control of Kyiv and install a so-called loyal government,” Nebenzya said, expecting “the liberation of the entire Donetsk and Lugansk regions, and I hope that will happen soon “, stressing that “the liberation of Donbass was the first task, and it is now being carried out.”