MOSCOW, August 2 (RIA Novosti) – The United States’ intention to allocate $19 million to train and equip the Ukrainian National Guard is direct complicity in genocide of civilians in Ukraine’s southeastern regions, the head of Russian parliament’s security and anti -corruption committee said on Saturday.
“At a time when the Ukrainian National Guard is carrying out punitive operations in Donbas, the United States’ promises to allocate $19 million to train and to arm this military unit, which includes militants of the radical Right Sector movement, can be regarded as direct complicity in genocide of civilians in Ukraine’s southeast, as well as in war crimes,” Irina Yarovaya told journalists.
Earlier on Friday, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby announced that the United States was planning to spend $19 million in 2015 on training and equipment of the Ukrainian National Guard “as part of their efforts to build their capacity for internal defense."
According to Kirby, arms deliveries to the crisis-hit country are not yet on the table.
The Pentagon spokesman once again claimed that Russian forces allegedly continue their buildup along the border with Ukraine.
“It’s difficult to pin it down to a specific number but they continue to be reinforced,” Kirby said.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced last week that international inspection teams that visited Russia’s border areas with Ukraine had revealed no violations or undeclared military activity on the part of Russia.
Kiev authorities have been conducting its military operation targeting independence supporters in the country’s southeastern regions since April. The National Guard comprised of troops and activists from Maidan self-defense squads plays the key role in the crackdown.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that the special operation cost the country about $6 million a day.
