Moscow has branded as “theft” the United States’ $1 billion transfer to Ukraine via the World Bank, funding sourced from profits generated by frozen Russian assets, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced Wednesday.
“This money has been stolen from us. And those reserves that are blocked, they are also blocked absolutely illegally. This is contrary to all norms and rules,” Peskov stated, emphasizing Russia’s opposition to both the asset freezes and the use of their profits.
The Kremlin indicated it would pursue legal recourse, with Peskov declaring Russia would “use every opportunity to protect our rights and our property rights” against what Moscow views as illegal actions by Western powers.