Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Thursday delivered a scathing critique of the recent $60 billion US financial aid package to Ukraine, calling it "a reward" for passing a law on mobilization, a move she argued endangers the lives of tens of thousands of Ukrainians.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Zakharova quoted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who implied that the burden of protecting NATO countries now falls on Ukraine: "The US army no longer has to fight to protect NATO countries. Ukrainians do it. The civilized world only provides weapons."
"Zelenskyy is exchanging the lives of Ukrainian citizens for the money of taxpayers of the US and the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance. Only taxpayers in these countries have no idea what they are paying for, because the media in these countries do not tell them about it, distort the picture," she stressed.
Zakharova underscored that this time Ukraine will have to repay the money, most of which will be used for creating jobs in the US.
"Tens of thousands of graves in Ukraine will be 'created' with this money. In the US, these are jobs, and in Ukraine -- graves," she said.
The spokeswoman also criticized Ukraine's revised law on mobilization, saying it allowed Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to prohibit consular services to Ukrainian men living abroad, meaning they will not be able to get any documents.
"Kuleba said people should not receive services from the state if they are not ready to fight for it. Only he forgot to add that from the point of view of Ukrainian authorities, the citizens of Ukraine are not fighting for Ukraine, but, as Zelenskyy said, for the interests of the US and NATO," she said.
The Russian diplomat also voiced concern over Ukraine's plans to introduce military training in schools, warning that children may be sent to the battlefield "for practical training" and eventually conscripted to the army.
She cited Zelenskyy's statements advocating for youth involvement in combat operations: "The youth should participate in combat operations because they are better versed in modern technologies."
"After such words, Ukraine once again started talking about the need to lower the mobilization age from 25 to 20 years," she said.
Zakharova criticized Zelenskyy's approach for exacerbating tensions rather than seeking peace and reiterated Russia's commitment to its "special military operation" in the absence of efforts for a peaceful resolution.
