The supersonic missiles that Russia says it has used to destroy military targets in Ukraine “do not change the situation” in the face of resistance from the Ukrainian military, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Sunday.
“I do not think these weapons change the situation,” Austin told CBS News, while declining to “confirm or deny” that Moscow had used this type of missile.
Russia said on Sunday it had used supersonic missiles in Ukraine for the second day in a row. If this use could be proven it would be the first known use in real combat conditions of this system that was first tested in 2018.
By using such weapons, Russia is “trying to regain momentum” in the conflict in which its military has been bogged down, Lloyd Austin said.
“We have seen (the Russians) deliberately targeting cities and civilians in recent weeks … because the attack has been blocked,” he said.
“Russian troops” are not effective in their movements on the field, they are mainly blocked “in front of Ukrainian fighters” who are fighting bravely and who remain determined to defend their country, “he added.
Vladimir Putin “sent his troops to the destroyer,” the Pentagon chief said, adding that the Ukrainians were “very effective thanks to the weapons we have given them,” such as anti-tank and anti-aircraft systems.
Lloyd Austin also warned Russia not to use chemical or biological weapons in the conflict.
Then there will be “a great reaction not only from the United States, but also from the international community,” he said.
Moscow, which accuses Washington and Kyiv of operating laboratories for the production of internationally banned biological and chemical weapons in Ukraine, wants to “build a pretext so that if (the Russians) do something on the battlefield, “They can blame someone else, the Ukrainians, us, NATO,” he said.
The Pentagon chief also refused to confirm the presence of mercenaries on the side of the Russian troops.
“As far as I know, we have not seen any mercenaries on the battlefield,” said the retired general.
According to Syrian NGOs, more than 40,000 fighters of the Syrian army and allied militias have registered to fight Russia in Ukraine.
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