(CNSNews.com) - The Russians have launched missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv one day after President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. would be providing Abrams tanks to Ukraine and training the Ukrainians on how to use them.
“The United States has worked in lockstep with our Allies and partners around the world to make sure the Ukrainian people are in the strongest possible position to defend their nation,” Biden said in remarks delivered at the White House on Wednesday.
“Today, I’m announcing that the United States will be sending 31 Abram tanks to Ukraine, the equivalent of one Ukrainian battalion,” Biden said.
“The Abrams tanks are the most capable tanks in the world,” said Biden. “They’re also extremely complex to operate and maintain, so we’re also giving Ukraine the parts and equipment necessary to effectively sustain these tanks on the battlefield.
“We’ll begin to train the Ukrainian troops on these issues of sustainment, logistics, and maintenance as soon as possible,” Biden said.
“Delivering these tanks to the field is going to take time, time that we’ll…use to make sure the Ukrainians are fully prepared to integrate the Abram tanks into their defenses,” said Biden.
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv was rocked by Russian missile strikes on Thursday, the day after Biden made his announcement.
“Explosions rocked Ukraine’s capital on Thursday after Russia launched a fresh barrage of missiles at targets across the country, as officials in Moscow warned of consequences for Western pledges to send dozens of battle tanks to Ukraine,” said the Journal.
“Ukraine’s military said 55 missiles in total had been launched by Russia at targets across the country, 47 of which were brought down by its air defenses,” the Journal said.
Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday that the United States and its European allies sending weapons—including tanks-to Ukraine—constituted “direct involvement” in the conflict by these nations.
"There are constant statements from European capitals and Washington that the sending of various weapons systems to Ukraine, including tanks, in no way signifies the involvement of these countries or the alliance in hostilities in Ukraine," Peskov said, as reported by Reuters.
"We categorically disagree with this, and in Moscow, everything that the alliance and the capitals I mentioned are doing is seen as direct involvement in the conflict. We see that this is growing,” he said.