The Pentagon on Friday (April 29th) accused Vladimir Putin of "
depravity
" and "
cruelty
" for the way Russian forces behave in Ukraine, where they are accused of killing civilians, including children.
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Asked during a press briefing about the psychological state of the Russian president at this stage of the conflict, the spokesman for the American Ministry of Defense, John Kirby, appeared on the verge of tears when referring to the atrocities attributed to the forces Russians.
"
It's hard to look at certain images and imagine that a serious leader could do that
," said John Kirby, usually known for his mastery in front of the cameras and his composure.
"
I don't know his psychological state, but I think we can talk about his depravity,
" he added.
"
Bullshit
"
Calling “
bullshit ” the Kremlin ruler's “
bizarre
” arguments
that this war is being waged to protect Ukraine's Russian minority from Ukrainian Nazism, he noted that it was “
difficult to reconcile this rhetoric with what 'it does in Ukraine to innocent people killed with a bullet in the back of the neck, their hands tied behind their backs, to women, pregnant women killed, hospitals bombed
'.
"
It's just unconscionable
," added John Kirby, who has become one of the main faces of the US administration since the start of the invasion with daily press briefings, and who is on a list of American personalities. sanctioned by Moscow.
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The spokesman admitted that Washington did not expect such violence against Ukrainian civilians, despite the brutality of past Russian military operations, such as in Chechnya or Syria.
"
We knew Mr. Putin was capable of defending what he considers Russia's national interests coolly and with brutal determination
," he said.
"
We didn't quite realize the degree of violence, cruelty and, as I said, depravity he would employ on innocent, non-combatant civilians
."
Ukraine and Western countries have accused Russia of "
massacres
" and "
war crimes
" since the discovery of hundreds of corpses in several localities in the Kiev region occupied by Russian forces in March.