Moscow will intensify attacks on Western weapons stored in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu warned Tuesday.
The Kremlin's reaction comes days after the Unites States finally approved a massive new package of military aid to help Ukraine as it fends off Russian President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion.
French and German defense companies have also started setting up local shops in Ukraine for arms maintenance — a first step toward manufacturing weapons in the country.
"We will increase the intensity of attacks on logistics centers and storage bases for Western weapons," said defense chief Shoigu, according to Russian state-owned media outlet RIA Novosti.
Following Saturday’s approval of a $60 billion U.S aid package by the House of Representatives after months of stalling, the Biden administration is preparing a larger-than-normal dispatch of military aid to Ukraine which will include armored vehicles, in addition to urgently needed artillery and air defenses.
The Russian ministry of defense claimed it has destroyed more than 22,000 Ukrainian uncrewed aerial vehicles, 3,500 HIMARS rockets and 600 missiles since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.