Putin Envoy Slams US On Ukraine Aid: 'Constantly Raising Bar Of Military Assistance To Their Puppet Government'

The Russian Ambassador to Washington slammed the U.S. for constantly raising the "bar" of military assistance for Ukraine.  

What Happened: Vladimir Putin's representative in Washington, Anatoly Antonov, said the Russian military would destroy M1 Abrams tanks if the U.S. decides to supply them to Ukraine.

"An analysis of the entire sequence of Washington’s actions shows that the Americans are constantly raising the ‘bar’ of military assistance to their puppet government. This is especially clear when the Russian Armed Forces gain new victories and confidently liberate the territory of Russia from the Nazi threat," Antonov said in a written response on Telegram.

See Also: Germany Agrees To Send Leopard 2 Tanks To Ukraine: Could This Be A Turning Point For The War?

"If the United States decides to supply tanks, it will be impossible to justify such step using arguments about "defensive weapons," he added. 

This came after reports indicated that in a reversal, the Biden administration is poised to start a process that would eventually send dozens of M1 Abrams battle tanks to Kyiv.

Washington had previously argued against sending the Abrams, despite demands from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and pressure from Berlin, because they are tough to maintain and hard to train Ukrainians to operate.

“The M1 (Abrams) is a complex weapons system that is challenging to maintain … that was true yesterday, that is true today and will be true in the future,” Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Pat Ryder told media.

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