MOSCOW

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu said on Tuesday that the US plans to allocate over $61 billion to Ukraine to prevent the "collapse" of its armed forces.

Speaking at a meeting in Moscow, Shoygu highlighted that most of the money will go to finance the US defense industry.

"The American authorities cynically state that Ukrainians will die for their interests in the fight against Russia," he said.

Shoygu said Ukraine's last year counteroffensive developed by NATO instructors failed, and that the course of Russia's "special military operation dispelled the myth" about superiority of the Western weapons.

The minister said Russia will persist in improving its armed forces in response to the rising threats, both in terms of producing modern arms and military equipment and bolstering the combat capabilities of the army.

Shoygu claimed that over the past few days, three settlements in Ukraine went under Russia's control - Bohdanivka, Novomykhailivka, Pervomaiske.

The official also said that Ukraine continues massive drone attacks - over 22,000 drones have been shot down since 2022.

Shoygu announced that this year the Russian armed forces will get a new generation of air defense systems and two S-500 air defense complexes.​​​​​​​

The minister said NATO continues pressuring Russia by deploying over 33,000 allied troops, 300 tanks, and 800 other armored vehicles on the Russian borders.

"Sweden joined NATO's ranks, the headquarters of the Security Assistance Group of Ukraine has been deployed in Germany, NATO is holding a series of military exercises on fighting Russia with the participation of up to 90,000 servicemen, and tensions have been rising in the Arctic region.

"Such actions by Western countries force us to apply adequate response measures," he said, noting that Russia established two new military districts in the west of the country.

Shoygu pledged to take "adequate" measures in response to NATO's actions on Russia's borders.