Russia Does Not Rule Out Military Provocations from US, Kiev Regime - Diplomat

A Bloomberg publication that Chinese President Xi Jinping allegedly asked Russian President Vladimir Putin not to invade Ukraine during the Olympic Games is an operation of US intelligence agencies, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. Moscow expects provocations from the United States and the US-led Kiev regime, without excluding military provocations, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday.

"We are expecting provocations from the US and the Kiev regime led by them, both informational and, it cannot be ruled out, military ones," she wrote on her Telegram channel. "They may do it, especially since they have a plenty of experience."

Zakharova focused attention on the Bloomberg publication, which cited "one diplomat in Beijing," claiming that Chinese President Xi Jinping had allegedly asked Russian President Vladimer Putin.

The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson noted ironically that "a diplomat in China" is actually Americans.

"No one who was supposed or who was likely to have this information was approached by ‘Bloomberg undercover journalists’ for confirmation. Although Bloomberg used to abide by a 'golden rule’ in the old and not so evil days that at least two, or even three, verified sources should confirm the information obtained," she said.

"I understand that, in the US media’s version, Russia should have ‘invaded’ [Ukraine] a long time ago," Zakharova continued ironically. "But we have never ‘invaded.’ By their logic, it is the perfect moment - the Olympics in China, which the US media have been smearing for months at Washington’s behest. Bloomberg mixes the two topics and shoots, but misses. Since everyone will remember now who does like to commit acts of aggression during the Olympic Games in China," she said.

The diplomat recalled that Georgia’s attack on South Ossetia took place in the run-up to the Beijing Summer Olympics in August 2008.

The West and Kiev have recently been spreading allegations about Russia’s potential ‘invasion’ of Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these claims as "empty and unfounded", serving as a ploy to escalate tensions, pointing out that Russia did not pose any threat whatsoever to anyone. However, Peskov did not rule out the possibility of provocations aimed at justifying such allegations and warned that attempts to use military force to resolve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine would have serious consequences.