Russian Permanent Representative to the UN Vasily Nebenzya at a meeting of the Security Council complained that Western countries continue to supply weapons to Ukraine. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (UAF) use these weapons, including the American Patriot air defense system, to shoot down missiles launched by the Russian Federation into Ukraine, and the day before, a Pentagon spokesman told CNN about the first downing of at least one Russian combat aircraft in recent weeks. The exact date of destruction and the name of the aircraft are not reported.
At the meeting, Nebenzya said that the flow of weapons from the West has not decreased since the last UN meeting in February, but, on the contrary, has increased. The supply of weapons and the data transmitted by the intelligence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as the training of the Ukrainian military, make the Western countries “accomplices in crimes,” Nebenzia claims.
Nebenzya also stated that Russia reserves the right to respond by any means to security threats, and reiterated the thesis of propaganda and the Russian authorities that "the goals of the special military operation will be fulfilled." Which ones, Nebenzya did not specify. The “goals” of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine have changed several times, as a result, the country occupied several regions of Ukraine, although this was not originally in the “plans”, and continues to shell the civilian population. At the same time, Nebenzya called “the goals of the collective West”: according to him, Ukraine is “used as a training ground” and they seek to “drag out the conflict“ to the last Ukrainian.
Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Serhiy Kyslytsya reported that Russia itself initiated a meeting of the UN Security Council to condemn the supply of weapons to Ukraine. He called Nebenzya an accomplice in war crimes. Adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak, in turn, called on the Russian Federation to stop using the UN Security Council as a platform for hysteria and wait for the time to speak at the tribunal:
“Yes, we will pursue you. Anytime and anywhere. Yes, there is nothing to talk with you – you do not know modern human languages. Yes, your traditional whining that hypnotized global politics is coming to an end. Yes, representatives of Russia – the country of serial killers – will undoubtedly pay off all debts. Yes, Ukraine will receive each of you, and it does not matter how exactly – legally or physically. And stop using the UN – unconditional war criminals do not have international law. Just wait for your stellar time at the tribunal."
Earlier, representatives of the Pentagon and the US Congress told CNN that the Armed Forces of Ukraine used the Patriot complex to shoot down a Russian combat aircraft that was about to launch missiles at Ukrainian targets. According to US officials, the Ukrainian military decides how to use the Patriot to protect itself.
Earlier, The Insider in its report drew attention to the controversy about what happened to the American Patriot complex during the massive shelling of Kiev on the night of May 16. Propaganda Russian Telegram channels wrote about the destruction or serious damage to the air defense system. In particular, the Rybar Telegram channel, citing “sources in the Armed Forces of Ukraine”, published information about an attack on a positional area at Zhuliany airport, destroying one launcher and seriously damaging another. The third PU, according to him, remained intact. Propaganda RIA Novosti, citing a source, claimed that the air defense systems were hit from an "air ambush".
According to the NYT material , the Patriot complex did receive damage, but their severity is still being assessed. At the same time, Ukrainian air defense systems shot down six Kinzhal missiles, as previously reported by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the publication says. According to updated information from CNN, the damage to the complex turned out to be minor (that is, it will not require its evacuation from Ukraine for repairs).
On May 16, a representative of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yuriy Ignat, said that all six Russian Kh-47 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles flying to Kiev were destroyed. On May 4, the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the first time reported that they shot down a Russian "Dagger" in the sky over the Kyiv region. The Pentagon confirmed the information, adding that the "Dagger" was shot down with the help of the American Patriot air defense system.