Pentagon chief speaks with new Russian defense minister

The phone discussion took place after a Ukrainian missile exploded over a packed beach in Crimea

The Russian and US defense chiefs spoke over the phone on Tuesday to discuss the need to maintain communication despite the standoff between the two nuclear powers. It was Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s first direct conversation with Andrey Belousov, who replaced Sergey Shoigu as Russia’s defense minister last month.

Austin “emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine,” Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said in the readout of the call.

The Russian MOD released a short statement, saying Austin and Belousov “exchanged views about the situation around Ukraine.” Belousov warned the Pentagon chief about “the dangers of further escalation in terms of the continuing deliveries of American weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”

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The conversation took place two days after four beachgoers, including two children, were killed in a Ukrainian missile strike on Crimea.

Moscow condemned Kiev’s “barbaric” attack, which also injured more than 150 people, saying Ukraine had used US-supplied ATACMS long-range missiles with cluster munitions. The MOD also accused the US of helping Kiev pick the targets for the missile strikes.

“We understand perfectly well who is behind this,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The US had previously authorized Kiev to use some of the Western weapons supplied to it for strikes deep into Russian territory during Moscow’s new offensive in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region.

Speaking in Brussels earlier this month, Austin reiterated Washington’s support for Kiev. “Make no mistake: Ukraine’s partners around the world have its back,” he said.

Moscow has maintained, however, that no amount of foreign aid can change the ultimate outcome of the conflict.