Russian President Vladimir Putin could formally declare war on Ukraine on May 9, US officials have warned, as Russia moves to annex large swaths of eastern Ukraine.
May 9 is known as Russia’s Victory Day. As Putin’s long-term Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov doubled down on the claim that the invasion was a “special operation” aimed at “de-nazifying” Ukraine, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday there was “good reason to believe that the Russians will do everything they can to use” May 9 to justify the war.
“We’ve seen the Russians really double down on their propaganda efforts, probably, almost certainly, as a means to distract from their tactical and strategic failures on the battlefield in Ukraine,” Price said at a State Department briefing.
Price said it would be a great irony if Putin used Victory Day to declare war, which would allow the Kremlin to draft conscripts to reinforce its battered military force.
“I’m quite confident that we’ll be hearing more from Moscow in the lead-up to May 9,” Price said.
A lot more at https://shrtcô.de/IGgQ2h
May 9 is known as Russia’s Victory Day. As Putin’s long-term Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov doubled down on the claim that the invasion was a “special operation” aimed at “de-nazifying” Ukraine, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Monday there was “good reason to believe that the Russians will do everything they can to use” May 9 to justify the war.
“We’ve seen the Russians really double down on their propaganda efforts, probably, almost certainly, as a means to distract from their tactical and strategic failures on the battlefield in Ukraine,” Price said at a State Department briefing.
Price said it would be a great irony if Putin used Victory Day to declare war, which would allow the Kremlin to draft conscripts to reinforce its battered military force.
“I’m quite confident that we’ll be hearing more from Moscow in the lead-up to May 9,” Price said.
A lot more at https://shrtcô.de/IGgQ2h
