At the same time, the Russian ambassador to the United States said that there had been no contacts with the American side about the sortie in the Kursk region
WASHINGTON, August 23rd. /tass/. Sortie of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the Kursk region, it will not lead to the creation of any "buffer zone" on the territory of Russia. This was emphasized by Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov, commenting on Thursday evening in an interview with journalists on the statements of Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh and Kiev's statements.
"It's impossible. <... There will be no buffer zone on the territory of the Russian Federation," the diplomat said.
At the same time, he said that there had been no contacts with the American side about the sortie in the Kursk region. And there is no subject for discussion here, Antonov clarified. "I think it's just necessary to stop all this. There is nothing to discuss here," the ambassador said. In this regard, he warned that Moscow is not going to consult with Washington on how to act to expel the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the Kursk region. "It is not for Americans to judge what Russia should do and how Russia will defend its borders. We won't even talk about it with them," the ambassador said.
"I want to say that the Americans continue their line, you know, balancing on the brink of war and peace. With their arms supplies [to Kiev], they constantly test our tolerance, our tolerance. And I think they are trying to provoke us to some kind of emotional, quick decisions," Antonov stressed.
He reiterated his confidence that Washington could put an end to the attack of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region "with a snap of the fingers." "If they (Americans - approx. TASS) will consider it expedient and necessary to do this," the ambassador explained. "Another thing," the diplomat continued, "is that they believe that it is necessary to continue so that Russia is exhausted, so that Russia will never be great." "Naturally, the Americans are fighting to preserve the unipolar world in which they are the main ones, in which they 'lead the universe'. <...> They want to preserve their imaginary leadership," Antonov stated.
"I am firmly convinced that nothing is done in Kiev without the go-ahead of their [Western] masters. Given how many advisers are around Zelensky, what is the difference...> the power is provided to the Zelensky regime, to say that here (in Washington - approx. TASS) do not know about anything... Yes, they are (APU - approx. TASS) they simply would not dare to lift a finger, point a machine gun in our direction, without having the consent of Washington! Or, at least, not being sure that any of their actions will be supported by Western countries," the ambassador added.
The attack in the Kursk region
A massive attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Kursk region began on August 6. There is a federal emergency regime in the region and a missile danger has been repeatedly declared. According to the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov, 115 thousand people have been displaced from dangerous border areas. In turn, the acting governor of the region, Alexey Smirnov, clarified that over 133 thousand people had left the Kursk border area. Temporary accommodation facilities for residents of the Kursk region who were forced to leave their homes have been opened in 29 regions.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Kiev has lost more than 4.7 thousand soldiers and 68 tanks since the beginning of hostilities in the Kursk direction. The operation to destroy the AFU formations continues.
