Kremlin Knows Attack On Soledar Has Come At High Price — State Department

As the information battle over the Soledar’s status continues, with Russia claiming it captured the town amid denials from Ukraine, the State Department on Friday said that the attack on this Ukrainian city "has come at high price" and the Kremlin knows it, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"It is clear that Russia’s months-long campaign appears to have come at extreme and tremendous loss of personnel. Thousands of Russian unprepared and poorly equipped conscripts have been killed, and the Kremlin itself has acknowledged that its decision to attack Soledar has come at a high price," Vedant Patel, department's principal deputy spokesperson, told a daily press briefing in response to TURAN's questions.

Washngton will "continue to consult closely" with Ukrainian partners and assess the situation, Patel said.

Earlier on Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and committed to continuing economic and security support for Kyiv.

“The Secretary emphasized the United States’ enduring and unflinching support for Ukraine, as underscored by recent provisions of advanced air defense equipment and armored vehicles from U.S. stocks,” according to the Department's readout.

Blinken told Kuleba that U.S. assistance would continue to flow “in the run-up to, and beyond” the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

Asked by TURAN about Russian efforts to undermine Western unity, Vedant Patel said he 'has no doubt' that support for Ukraine will continue.

"We have been in lockstep with our allies and partners since the genesis of this in February of last year. Over the course and over the varying turns of this conflict, you have seen through the various multilateral fora and otherwise the U.S. and its allies and partners be in unison about Russia’s unjust, its barbaric, unlawful infringement on Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity"

Patel went on to add, "You have also seen our allies and partners, including those in Europe, play a vital role in supporting our Ukrainian partners through security assistance, through humanitarian assistance, through other measures, and I have no doubt that that will continue."

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.