Russia asked US to convince Ukraine not to attack it on Russia's Navy Day – media – photo
The Russian Ministry of Defence asked US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to persuade Ukraine not to conduct military operations in Russia on the country’s Navy Day on 28 July.
Source: Militarny; Russian Interfax news agency
Details: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that Defence Minister Andrei Belousov personally called US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the issue. Ryabkov claimed that the telephone conversation between the two ministers had a positive outcome for Russia and helped to avoid an "escalation".
Russian sources claim that Ukrainian intelligence services had been preparing to carry out an attack on Navy Day while Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and Belousov were speaking at a parade in St Petersburg.
Andrei Belousov and Vladimir Putin during the parade on Russian Navy Day.
Ryabkov said Austin was extremely surprised by the news, but took it seriously. Washington allegedly then contacted Kyiv and asked them not to proceed with the plans.
The New York Times reported, citing three unnamed officials, that Belousov told Austin during the phone call that Moscow had discovered Ukraine's preparations for a "covert operation" against Russia.
The newspaper noted that it is still unclear whether Ukraine was indeed planning the operation reported by Belousov.
According to the Russian diplomat, had the Ukrainian operation been carried out it would allegedly have led to an "unmanageable conflict" between Russia and the United States.
Background: On 28 July, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine carried out a drone attack on an oil depot in Kursk Oblast.
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