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August 17, 2022

Putin Accuses U.S. of Dragging Out War in Ukraine & Provoking China
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The Russian Defense Ministry has admitted a major blast at a Russian
ammunition depot in occupied Crimea on Tuesday was caused by an act of
sabotage. On Tuesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
thanked those "who oppose the occupiers." He also urged Ukrainians to
stay away from Russian military bases and ammunition stores.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the United
States of trying to drag out the war in Ukraine and to provoke China
over Taiwan. He spoke at the Moscow Conference on International
Security.

President Vladimir Putin: "The situation in Ukraine shows that the
United States is trying to drag out this conflict, and they act in
exactly the same way, fueling the potential for conflict, in Asia,
Africa and Latin America. … We also see that the collective West is
seeking to extend its bloc system to the Asia-Pacific region, similarly
to NATO in Europe. For this purpose, bellicose military-political
alliances are being formed, such as AUKUS and others."



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